Tourism department forms task force to revive industry

TNN | Updated: Apr 7, 2020, 06:19 IST

Aerial view of Jaipur

JAIPUR: With the lockdown all set to be lifted in a week’s time, the state tourism is looking at ways to revive the industry that has been in the eye of the pandemic.
The department on Monday constituted a stakeholder forum consisting senior officials and representatives from industry bodies like FICCI, CII, Rajasthan Association of Tour Operators and Indian Heritage Hotels Association to thrash out ways for rebooting the sector.
Sreya Guha, principal secretary, department of tourism, said Rajasthan was the first state to give relief to the sector last month by lowering the bar licence fees and was now planning to reimburse state tax.
Speaking at a FICCI webinar, she said the industry had been badly hit and they would hold discussions to find out what the industry needs to become sustainable.
“Now, the industry is under complete shutdown. But we need to have a plan for revival before the lockdown is lifted,” she said.
With regard to the opening of restaurants, she said there has to be a holistic decision and the medical and health department’s views have to be taken in.
Since the source markets for tourism have been roiled by the pandemic, the department thinks the focus should be on domestic segment.
She said that it would take up to two quarters for the foreign tourists to start coming after the travel restrictions are lifted. But the focus would be on domestic tourism, she said.
“We are planning to come up with some plans before the lockdown is lifted. In a gradual way, we can look at opening the monuments as well,” said Guha.