Thiruvananthapuram: Apart from the beaches, all the tourist destinations in the state will be open from today. Hill stations, adventure tourist spots and Lakeside tourism centers will be open to tourists from today. However, Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran said that the beaches will be open only from November 1.
The minister said the decision was taken to allow entry into tourism centers in the state in two phases in with strict precautions. The minister said the order was issued to allow conditional entry of tourists inside and outside the state at hill stations, adventure resorts and Lakeside tourism centers.
Tourist centers must adhere to the Covid protocol. Earlier it was ordered that quarantine is not mandatory for those coming from other states for business purposes for up to 7 days. In the same vein, quarantine is not mandatory for tourists from other states for short visits of up to one week. Travelers coming from outside the state should register on the Covid Vigilance Portal. If he does not return after 7 days, he will have to undergo a check at his own expense. Those who want to spend more than 7 days should come with a Covid negative certificate or have a Covid check as soon as they arrive in Kerala. Or travelers will have to go to the quarantine for 7 days.
The order also said that tourists should not travel if they have any symptoms of Covid. The mask must be worn, sanitizer must be used and a social distance of two meters must be maintained from others. Tourists should seek the services of a health professional in connection with the direction if they have covid symptoms during the visit. People with symptoms should also go for isolation. Arrangements should be made at tourist centers and hotels to check the body temperature of travelers, wash their hands thoroughly and take all other precautions prescribed by the Department of Health. Sidewalks, handrails and seats should be disinfected with sanitizer spray. The names and details of those who visit the tourism centers should be recorded. The Deputy Directors of Tourism and the DTPC Secretaries will be responsible for ensuring that the Covid protocol is complied with. The order also says that tourism centers should be cleaned and disinfected at regular intervals.
Hotel booking and ticketing to tourist destinations should be done online. These instructions should be followed in Ayurvedic tourism centers as well. The new order also allows for the service of houseboats and other tourist boats. He said the decision was taken at a time when the tourism sector and its dependents have been facing a major crisis for the past six months.
Despite the Covid threat, many other states in the country had earlier opened up the tourism sector. But as a densely populated state that needs to be very careful, Kerala is gradually adopting concessions. Tourism is not included in the Prohibited Category in the Unlock-4 Order issued by the Union Home Ministry. Based on this, the state government has taken a decision to provide relief to the tourism industry in the state on the basis of the assessment that there is no inadequacy in opening tourism centers with strict precautions. Minister Kadakampally Surendran said that he hoped that tourists from within the country would not hesitate to visit tourist destinations in Kerala, which is at the forefront of Covid survival and defense.
Post Your Comments