Along with the whole world, the pandemic has taken its toll in Rajasthan. The state that was once buzzing with activity and considered the most popular tourist destinations in India, for both domestic and international tourists, is today all dried up. Foreign tourist arrivals have dropped considerably and this has had a deep impact on the tourism industry. Although every industry has been hit badly, the tourism sector has been the biggest casualty.
The people of Rajasthan who depended on its tourism business for survival are today struggling to make ends meet. This pandemic has completely left the people on the lurch with no hope at all. People who earned their livelihood working in restaurants, or as guides, in markets or through their art in hotel business are among the worst hit. It has also had a far-reaching impact on the poor who depended solely on their daily wages. According to an estimate, revenue from tourism business in Rajasthan was about 15 percent, with 11 to 12 percent from foreign tourists and 3 to 4 percent from country tourists. But since the onslaught of the Corona virus last year, the situation has become grim. The atmosphere in the air is of gloom and despair.
The sudden lockdown and the restrictions being imposed from one district to another and also the stringent guidelines by the government; have compelled the tourists to stay put wherever they are, affecting busy places including Jodhpur, Jaipur, Udaipur, Ajmer, Jaisalmer, Kota to name a few.
The lockdown that opened after July last year raised our hopes that life and business would bounce back to normalcy, but a second wave of destruction dashed our hopes and dreams.
According to the order of the Rajasthan government, the lockdown has been extended till June 8. We can only hope, the current state of affairs will soon be a thing of the past and our life comes back to what it used to be earlier as soon as possible.
Oh! How much we long to welcome our tourist guests by greeting them with the age-old endearing slogan “Padharo Mhare Desh” once again. Will it be possible?
Abdul Naseer
Editor
Rajasthan The Golden Desert
