Chennai, June 25BPNS)
The Tamil Nadu state government has constituted a 16 member panel to study and report on the tourism revival plans in the state as well as on the Covid protocols to be implemented at the tourism spots. The committee was constituted on Friday.
It may be noted that the Tamil Nadu health department has issued an order to vaccinate people at all tourism spots and memorials in the state. The Director of the Department of tourism will be the Chairman of the 16 member panel on which a Government Order(G.O) is already issued.
The Director of Tourism has been directed to convene a committee meeting immediately following Covid 19 protocols in force. The committee is asked to bring up with a revival plan for the tourism sector as well as suggest Covid Standard Operating Protocols(SOP’s) for tourists in Tamil Nadu and submit it to the Government.
The Director of Museums, Commissioner of the department of Art and Culture, Commissioner of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments, Director of Public Health, Commissioner of Archeology, Regional Director of the Union Ministry of Tourism and former City Health Officer of the Corporation of Chennai, P Kugananthan are the members of the panel.
Representatives of the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), Tamil Nadu Travel Mart(TTM), South Indian Hotel and Restaurant Association (SIHRA), Tamil Nadu Tour Travel and Hospitality Association( TTTHA), South India MICE Association( SIMA), and Travel Agents Association of India(TAAI).
There were several petitions from the associations in the tourism sector as well as the department of tourism to bring out a revival plan for the tourism sector. While the concerned people are apprehensive of a proper inflow of tourists into major tourist destinations of Tamil Nadu, the department is expecting movement of inter and intra district movement of tourists or rather domestic tourists and hence wants a proper tourism revival plan in place including Standard protocol for the tourism sector.
The department is of the opinion that once the sector is opened up, there would be an easing of travel restrictions leading to movement of people. The department expects that this would help the total revival of the sector in a gradual manner.
