Page 140 - Hospitality Horizon - February-March 2021

TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE

aving gone through a turmoil
during the nationwide lockdown
last year, the Indian tourism sector
has started to recover, slowly. By
Hall accounts, domestic tourism is
the route to drive recovery, especially with the
onset of domestic flight, air bubbles and
relaxations in government guidelines.
Covid-19 all but struck a deathblow to one of the
great joys of modern life and deprived tourists of
the joy of travelling to exotic destinations. But
things begun to change with the partial lifting of
the national lockdown.
In the corridors of power as well as in the
business chambers consultation were afoot to take
precautions to make things happen again on the
tourism front though everyone is aware of the fact
that it will be long before the old flow of people will
happen like in the pre-pandemic times.
It is clear that, to help domestic tourism revive,
it is imperative to reassess and reimagine how
India can leverage its rich cultural and natural
heritage and promote less-travelable destinations.
It is apparent that secluded destinations that have
managed to control the spread of the virus are
becoming increasingly popular, provided safety
and hygiene are ensured across the board.

ROAD TO RECOVERY
With the Covid-19 vaccine almost at hand, there is
rising hope that tourism in India will slowly pick
up the threads and move towards a positive
growth-oriented future. The projections will
perforce remain hazy. What we need to fall back

“THERE ARE SEVERAL
UNEXPLORED BEACHES
AT DRIVING DISTANCE
FROM CITIES SUCH AS
CHENNAI AND MUMBAI
THAT CAN BE DEVELOPED
AS TOURIST HUBS.”

Mandeep Lamba, President, South Asia, HVS Anarock

140 FEBRUARY-MARCH 2021 hospitality horizon