Ahead of the June 15 deadly face-off between Chinese Peoples바카라 Liberation Army and Indian Army in Galwan Valley of Ladakh, many Ladakhis were hoping the situation would settle down in the next few weeks and tourism would return to the region.
After August 5 last year, Ladakh had seen a drop in tourist footfall. The tourism industry took another hit when Coronavirus pandemic forced shut every sector. Whatever hopes of revival of tourism were left, the border tension with China has dashed them all.
Ahead of the June 15 deadly face-off between Chinese Peoples바카라 Liberation Army and Indian Army in Galwan Valley of Ladakh, many Ladakhis were hoping the situation would settle down in the next few weeks and tourism would return to the region.
However, after the Indian Army suffered heavy casualties, any hopes of tourism have died down in the region. The region had already witnessed a slump in tourist arrivals since August last year when the Article 370 was abrogated.
In June, the Department of Tourism in Ladakh had issued an advertisement, saying that travellers across the world -- and those in the country -- should prefer Ladakh as a travel destination once Covid-19 restrictions are over. 바카라Amid lockdown due to the Covid-19, mental health-related issues have become a part of life. Once the restrictions are over, fly to Ladakh, known for its serenity and natural beauty to beat the blues,바카라 reads an advertisement of Ladakh Tourism Department.
However, with the surge in Covid-19 cases in the country, and the growing tension between India-China along the Line of Actual Control, tourist players in Ladakh say they don바카라t have any expectations left anymore. 바카라Tourism has hit zero in Ladakh for the past several months. The government has not stepped in to rescue the industry and loans haven바카라t been waived. We are in great trouble,바카라 says Odpal George, who owns Sapwoo Resorts hotel in Leh.
바카라Ladakh바카라s tourism season stretches from April to October, but I don바카라t think we will see any tourists coming in near future. It is not only Covid-19 that has hit us, we have problems with Chinese also; it is a very bad situation and I don바카라t foresee any possibility of tourism in coming months,바카라 he says, adding 바카라after October, we have a long winter and no tourism. Our winter is not going to end this year.바카라
Ladakh remains cut-off for almost six months -- from November to April -- from the rest of the world as the two links -- the Srinagar-Leh and the Manali-Leh roads -- remain blocked due to heavy snowfall.
바카라From May to September, we see a large number of tourists. It바카라s June already and there are no tourists. Some hotels have opened up here but not for tourists. They occasionally get some officials who visit Leh,바카라 says hotelier Arif Radhu, who runs Sankar Residency Hotel in Leh.
Last year, when Ladakh was granted the status of a Union Territory, the local hospitality and tourism sector were expecting a large number of tourists and trekkers from foreign countries. Ladakh region 바카라 also referred as the cold desert, is known as a trekking destination. Besides, the Dalai Lama visits Ladakh every year for the past 26 years and stays there for months together.
Ahead of August 5, 2019, when the government revoked Article 370 and bifurcated erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories, a number of foreigners fled to Ladakh as the government had ordered tourists and pilgrims to leave Jammu and Kashmir.
바카라There was no lockdown in Ladakh after Article 370 was removed last year. But the crises in Kashmir had an impact on tourism here. We get most of the tourists from Srinagar-Leh road. This year we were expecting good business but due to the Covid-19 and Ladakh situation, there are no hopes left,바카라 Radhu says.
Ladakh largely depends on tourists and sees a huge influx of foreign and domestic tourists. Tour and travel operators say business losses due to the Covid-19 run in crores. All Ladakh Guest House & Hotel Association, Ladakh has asked the UT administration of Ladakh for financial assistance of nearly Rs 200-300 crores.
바카라Ladakh is all about tourism and if tourism suffers, entire economy of Ladakh is going to pay for it. In Europe, the government has provided incentives to the hospitality industry. Here the government tells us not to lay off our staff without realising how we would pay them. Hospitality sector needs incentives and waving of loans,바카라 George says. 바카라If it will not happen, we are finished,바카라 he adds.
Tenzin Motop, who has been associated with Ladakh tourism industry for long, says it is expected that the situation about Covid-19 would improve by November-December in the country and other parts of the world. 바카라By then, winter would set in in Ladakh and we will be under a long winter. We have no business this year. Ladakh tourism is about the people of Ladakh and that is why the government should step in and come up with incentives to help the tourism industry,바카라 he adds.