Port Blair, Jan 12: The Andaman Association of Tour Operators (AATO) has urged the Andaman and Nicobar Administration to consider re-opening tourism activities in these islands.
Earlier yesterday, nearly 300 Tourist vehicle drivers and other tourism stakeholders gathered near the Tourism Department and staged a protest against the Administration’s sudden decision to close all tourism spots in South Andaman region, following a surge in COVID-19 cases.
Meanwhile, today the AATO President, Mr. M Vinod, wrote a letter to the Chief Secretary and mentioned that the sudden closure of tourist spots and tourism activities has caused chaos amongst the stakeholders as well as tourists.
He added that the industry stakeholders are under heavy debt and losses due to the closure of tourism for the entire period starting from March 2020.
“To prevent an irreversible damage to the tourism economy and to prevent the devastation of livelihoods, the administration should consider reopening of all tourism spots in South Andaman District and North & Middle Andaman District with strict adherence to COVID protocols,” Mr Vinod added.
He suggested a cap on the number of people at each tourist spot to avoid overcrowding and the same may be relaxed as the COVID situation improves. “Any action or decision taken with regard to the tourism industry may be taken in consultation with the stakeholders who are directly affected by the actions or decisions so taken,” said Mr Vinod assuring compliance of COVID Appropriate Behaviour by visitors as also stakeholders of the industry.
Request for immediate restore of opening the tourist spots for tourist, as many people travels daily without visiting tourist spots which is costly one
We are badly suffering by paying hotels, airline tickets, request for open tourist spots by issuing revise order by the Andaman Govt from 16. 01.2022, so that we can proceed for Andaman.