Travel agencies are already reeling from the impact of COVID-19 and are flooded with requests for cancellation. Many of the smaller agencies, who are finding it difficult to operate, are considering shutting down operations temporarily.
It’s not just international travel but also domestic tourism that is taking a hit. What’s worrying owners is the uncertainty of the situation. Sanjar Imam, president of Karnataka Tourism Forum, said: “We do not know how long this situation will persist and cannot foresee when things will improve,” he said.
People in the tourism industry are recommending that clients put off plans in public interest. “More than travelling to a place where there are no infected cases, people may be at risk during the journey itself and that is why it’s best to be cautious.”
A travel agent in west Bengaluru stated that they were considering temporarily closing their company as they could not afford to pay salaries for six of their employees. “We have been receiving an average of 20 cancellations per day,” he said.
Suspension of tourist visas
The government’s decision to suspend all tourist and student visas as well as the visa-free entry of Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) card holders is making itself felt.
Rajesh Magow, Group CEO, MakeMyTrip in a statement said, “So far there are no restrictions or advisories issued for domestic travel. The period between February till the end of March is typically a lean period because of exam season but we are seeing a demand slowdown for the upcoming summer holiday season especially for international travel.”
The silver lining for consumers is most travel agencies are willing to reschedule bookings without additional charges. “I planned to travel to Andaman with my family. But I decided to cancel my plans due to the situation. I was told that I can reschedule my travel any time till September,” said a 37 year old media professional.
Some operators are giving full refunds for international flight bookings to affected countries such as China, France, Italy, Iran and Japan for travel dates up to March 31.
