John Wilbert & Rabindranath Biswas
Port Blair, Nov 22: Ferry services between the Port Blair and Long Islands, which resumed this year after two years of hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, have an increase in demand and interest.
According to reports, since the Government removed COVID restrictions and mask wearing in most public places this year, ferries between the Andaman and Nicobar are now operating at full capacity, which were previously capped up. A Tour Operator of these islands said that “ferry services provide a lifeline to local economies where boats shuttle between Port Blair to Swaraj Dweep and Long islands.”
“Not only people from islands are using the ferries but also travelers enjoy this service,” he said. Tourism season has already made a good start and expectations are high for the winter season, he said, adding that the number of reservations received for the other islands’ ferry services is boosting hopes.
As far as Long Island is concerned, due to unavailability of direct and daily boat services, travellers avoid Long Island trips because it consumes more time and long route to reach long islands, the tour operators rued.
“Demand is particularly strong for direct ferry service between Port Blair and Long Islands on daily basis atleast thrice a week and I expect the demand for ferry services to grow tourism sector in Long Islands and once tourism boosted in islands more islands youth can get job opportunity and growing up business in islands,” he further added.
Mr Kamaraj, Pradhan Gram Panchayat Long Islands said, “Long Island having very good potential in tourism sector we have three beautiful beaches Mark Beach, Lala Ji Beach and Guitar Islands Beach but due to unavailability of daily ferry services from Port
Blair and Swaraj Dweep, tourists avoid coming to Long Islands.”
He requested the Administration to provide daily ferry services from Port Blair and Swaraj Dweep in the larger interests of tour operators and the tourism on the island.
Since the last two decades people of these Islands have been reading news about the administration’s claim to promote Tourism in Long Island but till today, not much has been done. While people living in Port Blair don’t have many places to go in Andaman on weekends, Long Island, which can be a good option, has no direct ferry. Tourists would also love to visit the Island but they can’t devote two to three days to one Island. Hope the Administration will soon realise that the key to promote tourism in Long Island is direct ferry service and not making tall.
