The Covid pandemic turned the world inside out in an unprecedented way and the travel & tourism sector has been one of the worst hit.
In India we are beginning to see a light at the end of this turbulence with several states cautiously opening their doors to tourists from out of state. Hotels, sightseeing locations, monuments, national parks have steadily been opening since June. With domestic flights also starting and with more frequency, these are a huge positive step for the tourism and travel industry.
With travel overseas not an immediate possibility, discovering India with domestic tourism seems to be a great place to start ticking off your travel bucket list of places we’ve always wanted to visit in India.
Travel will take a while to return to pre-Covid levels. For the next few months, there will be several changes in logistics, entry rules etc. These are slowly being rolled out and with each day bringing a new update, a new change.
The openings across the country all come with strict guidelines by the state governments, but this is all part of the new normal that we will need to accept to ensure the safety and health of all those concerned.
Be sure to check our blog stories as we keep you updated on all the great positive steps being taken across the country as we open for travel.
(Do note these are extraordinary circumstances. With the way things are in the country, there are constant changes and updates by governments but we will try to keep this updated as much as possible.)
Rajasthan
The iconic Land of Kings opened to tourism from 2nd June 2020. Several hotels, monuments and wildlife parks are now open to the public. To encourage tourists, monument entries will have discounted rates till Oct 31 2020.
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh reopens Tourist destinations and has announced the reopening of State Tourism Development Corporation run-hotels, resorts and private hotels. Initially, the state is looking to attract travellers from neighboring states, who can make use of the enhanced road connectivity. The attractions include the world renowned national parks like Kanha, Bandhavgarh and Pench- whose buffer zones will remain open even during the monsoon when all parks traditionally close. MP Tourism has also launched a special social media campaign with the tagline ‘Intezaar aapka…’ (we are waiting for you), aimed to draw potential visitors to tourist destinations in the state. The campaign promises visitors, ‘Safe travel, safe stay and safe tour’. The tourist destinations being promoted through the campaign include Amarkantak, Panchmari, Kanha, Bandhavgarh and Ujjain. MP’s tourism board has also introduced luxury caravans for travellers who wish to explore the state while minimising physical contact.
https://bit.ly/MPopensfortourism
Goa
Has opened its doors to Domestic Tourists From July 2, 2020. About 250 hotels in Goa have been allowed to open their doors to domestic tourists. “Tourism is one of the biggest industries in the state and is the backbone of our economy. In this unlock phase, we are kickstarting our economy again by keeping the highest health safety norms in place in view of #COVID19,” Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had tweeted. There are several guidelines to be followed for all visitors entering the state.
Uttarakhand
The Uttarakhand state government has lifted all travel restrictions on inter-state and inter-district travel. It has also lifted all restrictions for international travellers. This means, one can think about planning a summer vacation up in the hills. However, before planning, one needs to know certain things about the guidelines issued by the authorities. As per the latest reports, hotels and home stays are now open for business, but only in those areas that are not in the state’s containment zones.
https://bit.ly/Uttarakhandopensfortourism
Kerala
Resorts around Kumarakom , Marari, Kochi, and Munnar slowly opened in a phased manner in July 2020. Kerala’s tourism sector, battered by the COVID-19 pandemic, is slowly but surely limping back to normal with phased openings of resorts and certain tourist spots. There are still several restrictions in place which will have to be adhered to.
Darjeeling
Reopens for tourists with social distancing, masks and thermal screening. Darjeeling has finally opened its gates for tourists from 1 July 2020. The hills of Darjeeling in West Bengal unlocked for tourism while following all the directives and measures by the administration.
Mumbai and Pune
Hotels can reopen from Wednesday 8 July with these new rules. If you’re planning a staycation or even a ‘workation’, here’s what to expect when you check in. Details in link below.
https://bit.ly/Mumbaihotelssettoopen
Himachal Pradesh
The mountains are calling! HP is one of the latest states to open its borders, albeit with several SOPs in place including a mandatory stay of a minimum of 5 days, Covid test done withing the last 72 hrs at the latest, registering for an e pass within 48 hours of your travel.
https://bit.ly/Himachalreopenssoon
For more information write to us at askus@thewanderers.co.in we would be delighted to assist you.