Excelsior Correspondent
LEH, June 8: To assess the loss of tourism business due to COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown, the Deputy Chairman Tsering Sandup convened a meeting of the members of Travel Trade Alliance including representatives of Hotel Association, ALTOA, Taxi Union, Tempo Union here today.
Sandup said that the main objective of the meeting is to assess the extent of losses in the tourism sector of Leh from the stakeholders and their suggestions in taking up the issues and demands with GoI and UT Administration Ladakh and opening of Ladakh for tourists in remaining tourist months.
The members of the Travel Trade Alliance said that around Rs 245 crore losses is estimated in the tourism sector this year due to COVID-19 pandemic. They said that the tourism sector of Ladakh has dealt a heavy blow which is the backbone of Ladakh’s economy and bread earner for thousands of individuals and families dependent on tourism directly or intricately and strongly demanded financial packages for worst affected workers including taxi drivers, guides, helpers, pony man etc.
Hotel Association Leh demanded LAHDC, Leh to waive loan interest in favour of hoteliers for two years who have taken loans, exemption in renewal of trade license and other yearly fees etc and release of subsidies and incentives for hotels pending since 2012.
Taxi Union strongly demanded LAHDC, Leh to exempt yearly insurance fee and other renewal fees of taxis saying that from October 2019, the taxis of Ladakh are standstill with no income.
Regarding use of Environmental Fee collected by LAHDC Leh from tourists visiting Ladakh since many years, Sandup said that Council is ready to use this fee to incentivise losses to the affected trades and individuals in the tourism sector whenever Council will get approval from Finance Department, UT Ladakh in this regard.
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