The tourism sector, which is a major source of employment in Uttarakhand, has suffered a fall in business of up to 85 per cent, according to a quick random survey undertaken by the Associated Chamber of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) Social Development Foundation.
With the Government failing to convince tourists, the tourism business in locations like Mussoorie and Nainital which were not affected by the disaster, is seeing a sharp decline of about 75 per cent in tourist arrivals.
This sector is expected to incur a loss of more than Rs4,000 crore a year. Tourists are cancelling their planned trips to Uttarakhand as they fear being trapped, said the ASSOCHAM secretary general DS Rawat while releasing findings of
the survey.
The report points out that those employed in tourism sector here earn enough money in six months to last the whole year but due to loss after disaster, some are migrating to other States to start over again.
Hotels in Mussoorie and Nanital generally see 100 per cent occupancy this time of the year but it has dropped to less than 20 per cent due to fear. Corbett national park is also witnessing a similar crisis, added Rawat.
Based on feedback from affected areas in Uttarkashi, Chamoli and Rudraprayag districts, the report points out that agricultural land of small and marginal farmers in 156 villages across the mountain districts of Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Uttarkashi, Pauri, Tehri and Bageshwar had been destroyed.
The mountain State has seen migration of marginal farmers in the last couple of months amid dwindling returns, but the circumstances this year might trigger an
exodus, according to the report.
Rawat said, “Every year upto 24 lakh pilgrims arrive in the State for the Char Dham Yatra but the Yatra has been disrupted. Tourists are opting for ‘safer places’ like Rajasthan, Goa, Kashmir and even Kerala to spend their holidays. Destinations like Jaipur, Agra, Udaipur and Mount Abu have benefited the most with
travelers making last minute bookings post shifting of their holiday plans. Floods have not only destroyed hotels, breakfast inns and restaurants but set back tourism for the entire State by at least five years. Tourism sector would also witnessed a direct employment loss of about 1,80,000 people becoming unemployed for six months this year.
The rationale for this assumption is that there are a total of 1,79,218 households in the three worst affected districts as per 2011 census. Given the extent of their association with the tourism and hospitality sector, it would be reasonable to expect at least one person from a household to be directly employed in tourism. The sector would lose Rs4,170 crore per year according to our report,” he said.