Anti-CAA protests &COVID-19 cripple tourism sector; hotels, resorts hit hard

A CORRESPONDENT

PATHSALA: The anti-CAA protests followed by the COVID-19 pandemic have affected all business sectors, including the blooming tourism industry of Assam. Scores of people working in this sector are facing the brunt. The hotels, resorts and lodges in and around Manas National Park have also been hit hard. "People from different regions of India and foreign countries used to visit Manas National Park to enjoy the aesthetic beauty of the park and enjoy the elephant safari, jeep safari and river rafting," said a staff of Bansbari Lodge.

"The anti-CAA protests followed by COVID-19 pandemic induced lockdown have crippled the sector. Resorts are on the verge of shutdown and this has led to the loss of livelihood for the owners as well as the staff of these resorts," said a forest official of the park.

Dhiraj Das, owner of Prakriti Neerh Jungle Resort, told this correspondent that the resorts have been closed for the last six months after the anti-CAA protests followed by COVID-19 pandemic. He said, "We get calls from people asking for stay in the resort. However, we are following the government orders and keeping our resort closed and the situation has worsened to such a state that it has become difficult to pay the 15-16 employees of our resort." He added that all other resorts were facing the same situation.

The owners and staff are hopeful that the situation will improve and the resorts and hotels will once again be filled up with national and international tourists. People associated with this sector feel that the Tourism Department of Assam should take necessary measures to boost this sector.

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