International Flight News: Affected by the coronavirus pandemic, the tourism sector in Agra that thrives on Taj Mahal visitors, has been adversely impacted over the past year even after the popular tourist destination was opened for public. People associated with the tourism sector including guides, shopkeepers and hoteliers in the Uttar Pradesh city believe that international flights should resume at the earliest to give a boost to the industry.
The Union Civil Aviation Ministry was planning to resume international flights in February but decided against it due to the delicate situation of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country as well as new strains identified abroad. Normal international flights are expected to resume around April-June 2021, government officials had said while speaking to a business portal.
“Tourism industry has been affected drastically due to COVID-19 pandemic and farmers’ agitation. Even domestic clients are not visiting here. Taj Mahal has reopened but tourists are still not visiting as they used to earlier,” said Fukran Ali, guide at Taj Mahal, Uttar Pradesh Tourism.
Meanwhile, a marble showroom owner, Sunil Srivastava, told ANI that tourists should be issued visas as people from abroad are still not able to visit Agra that has directly hampered the growth of the tourism sector.
“Tourists coming from abroad majorly give a boost to the tourism industry here. Now that everything is reopening gradually international flights should reopen so that we are able to earn our livelihood like before,” said Nishar Khan, a restaurant owner in the city.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had last month extended the suspension of scheduled international passenger flights till February 28. However, flights on selected routes on a case-to-case basis are still operational under the Vande Bharat Mission by the government.