COV-19 and Tourism Industry in the world

The tourism industry plays a pivotal role in the economy of every country in the world. It has an effect on a life all circles of life, especially in the businesses.

The pandemic COVID-19 effects on the life of the people in the world cannot be described in words where it affected the life of the people socially, physically, economically, psychologically, especially the health of the human being and on the politics of every country in the world. Socially it made a gap in the social and physical relationships among family members, relatives, and friends all over the world every one afraid of seeing, visiting, and meeting his/her nears and dears. Economically, all the businesses in the whole world suffered from it we cannot look someone for help to or from which makes gaps among the people, countries, and communities. Some people still not agree with

this is something diseases some are very concerned about it. Politically, it made gaps among people and government (political leaders) none of the people any country is satisfied from the leaders and government who seek help from them it is rather impossible for the government to reach out the whole part of the country and each an individual that is challenging for the government. Once we look into the situation our country Pakistan on media unbelievable comments are running it is not only in Pakistan but the whole world is suffering from it.

The tourism industry in the world completely destroyed which is one of the important source of economy for a country some of the top destinations’ 80 percent of the economy depends on tourism such as Nepal and Pakistan and many other such countries where the situation is miserable, thousands of people lost their jobs such as guides, cooks, porters, and other daily wagers along with the tour operators compelled to decrease the number of employees in their offices. Once we look towards businesses related tourism but not only the hotels, travel, and tour agencies but also the other business-related people suffered too of it. Tourism-related people are the top suffered ones in this pandemic. As we look back on the tourism in Pakistan was suffering from some other problems such after the 9/11 and then terrorists’ activities and political up and downs for the decades it was vulnerable many tour agencies quit the tourism businesses and switched into other business but it was not like what is happening today. In the last few years, there was anyhow little business was on the way where people could survive but this pandemic suffered it 100 percent which leads to the miserable condition it takes a more long time to over of this pandemic.

Psychologically, now people are going to be suffered from it no doubt.  Many of the people had hopes on the government seeking help but as I mentioned how the government will be able to cope with this 100 percent is impossible at any cost. Some of the developing countries depended on developed countries in the past but now the situations of the developed countries are more miserable than the developing countries. When we look into the current situation of this pandemic everyone losses his/her hope to survive only 10 percent of the people may not be frightened of it who have huge properties, but still, I think they will be suffered too one day if every field of life stops its activity they also need some supplies to survive for their life. Now at this moment, everyone is hopeless.

The tourism industry in the world is unstable many people make myths about the future for the recovery will take years that is disappointing and discouraging which unbelievable. The tour operators in Pakistan are curious to reopen the tourism in the country domestic and international both with clear SOPs and following them. There was a zoom webinar around 50 top tour operators who participated in the webinar and warmly discussed the negative and positive points opening tourism. Some of the senior tour operators shared their ideas clearly with the observation and cooperation of the government to make sure the following SOPs by the visitors and organizers. Some of them showed their observations on the negative impacts and spread of the virus by opening tourism. Anyway, the majority of the participants favor opening tourism by keeping three main categories to make sure the safety of the visitors and local communities.

1.       Controlled tourism: This means some of the visitors will be allowed in Pakistan with specific members in the group both domestic and international visitors who will be visiting with negative corona certificate from their living destination and they will be screened too on airports and bus stations where they come and go.

2.       Use Legal Tour operators: The second point was focused to use of legal tour agencies for the visitors they will book their tour properly and the tour operators will organize the trip properly making sure the corona free trip throughout the trip with the help of government(especially tourism departments of each respective province).

 Adventure tourism: this point was raised by the top adventure related tour operators that this part of the tourism is less risk involving which will go through wilderness and there are no connections of crowds and infections. The adventures stay out of villages and crowds on the mountain areas but still, some showed observations too in it rising points about situations porters who are part and parcel of adventure tourism this could risk for them if visitors carry corona. It is also difficult to manage for the porters to keep physical distances while trekking and camping in the mountains, they walk, eat and, sleep together during the whole trip.

At the end, the webinar ended with positive decisions that were suggested by the participants rose during the webinar. One of the top fruitful decisions was to conduct some pre-training program for the guides, cooks, and managers of the tour agencies on the safety measures during the tour. Hotel management will also be part of this training to make sure to be well prepared in the opening of tourism in following the SOPs and other safety measures. The guest houses in the congested villages will not be encouraged to open during this control tourism opening. Every tour operator will sign on the paper with SOPs and other safety measures will be prepared by the tourism department and Pakistan Association of Tour Operators (PATO).

To make sure the booking of the visitors will be checked the license of the company on the entry points that will be mentioned in the SOPs.