Covid spike: Stakeholders of tourism industry in north Bengal on tenterhooks

The sudden rise in number of infections since the past five weeks has posed a fresh crisis for the industry

A homestay in Rajabhatkhawa of Alipurduar district.:Anirban Choudhury

Anirban Choudhury   |  TT  |  Alipurduar   | 16.04.21: Stakeholders of the tourism industry across north Bengal are on tenterhooks because of the sudden surge in Covid-19 cases across the country during the past few weeks.

In north Bengal, tourism is the second major industry after tea. Around five lakh people are associated with the sector. In fact, during the past 10 years, it is this sector that has generated the highest employment in the region.

The industry, which had taken a beating last year amid the pandemic and the consequent lockdown, had been limping back on the path of revival during the past four-five months when Covid cases had been on a steady decline.

However, the sudden rise in the number of infections since mid-March has posed a fresh crisis for the industry.

“It seems like a repetition of what we had faced in most of 2020. These days, most of the communications that we are receiving are for cancellation of trips,” said Samrat Sanyal, general secretary of the Himalayan Hospitality and Tourism Development Network.

According to him, the occupancy rate in hotels, resorts and homestays across the region — both in hills and in the Dooars — has come down to 15 per cent or so these days.

Last year, the tourism industry had grappled with the pandemic crisis from March to November.

“From December onwards, tourists started coming, initially from other parts of Bengal and gradually from other parts of the country. Things had just returned to normality and people in the sector had started making some earnings...and now comes this second wave of Covid-19. We really don’t know what is in store for the tourism industry in the coming days,” added Sanyal.

Those running hotels in the region said the occupancy rate had increased to 90 per cent during the Christmas holidays last year.

“Till February, the inflow of tourists was on the rise. But over the past couple of weeks, there has been a decline, and particularly in past seven days, cancellations have risen considerably. If this situation persists, we doubt how many of us will be able to run our properties or bear regular costs like staff salaries,” said Biswajit Saha, a lodge owner of Madarihat near the Jaldapara National Park.

Transporters, whose vehicles stayed off roads for months last year as tourists stayed away, are again facing a similar crisis.

“During the past few months, we had started hoping again. But given the present situation, there is an apprehension that the situation may become like last year,” said Jayanta Majumdar, a transporter based in Siliguri. “Bhutan has closed its doors for tourists. A large number of tourists visiting Bhutan used to move through north Bengal, and their trips have stopped.

“Haven’t we faced enough already?” Majumdar added.