SHILLONG: The capital town’s private travel agencies, which have seen the rock-bottom of their business owing to national lockdown, have reopened sans any takers.
Most agency owners are aware of the ground realities and not overly optimistic to see an immediate upturn in travel business. Yet, since the administration permitted the agencies to open, they have unlocked the padlock, dusted the furniture and resumed the old habit of sitting in the chamber.
Sample this: Amarjit Singh’s business has hit its nadir and yet he kept his tourism agency counter at Police Bazar open on Saturday to cope with the monotony of lockdown.
Golden Arrow Air Tickets and Hotel Tours is among the two or three travel agencies open on Saturday, the second day of relaxation at Police Bazar after a hiatus of over two months. “It is boring to remain at home for so many days. What will I do? So I thought I would just come even if there is no business,” said Singh.
Business is “zero” and it will continue for months now but Singh has not thought about an alternative yet. When asked about the staggered air service that has started recently, Singh shook his head in despair saying it would not continue. “Business was already affected before the lockdown because of other disturbances and now it has completely stopped,” he added. Vanrat Tours and Travels, which sells air and bus tickets, was also open. For them too, the story is the same. There were several cancellations and the travel agency is also waiting for payments. Before the lockdown, there were returnees from abroad and “we had to provide service and support to those we knew”, said an employee.
“We opened on Saturday but we are not expecting any business soon as airlines are cancelling flights.
Some people are enquiring about flights,” he said, adding that next week too the counter will be open.
The government has allowed travel agencies to open even though travel by air or train are far from normal. In fact, travelling is the last thing people have in mind. Fear associated with Coronavirus seems to have taken the zest for travelling out of common man’s psyche.
With no hope of tourism bouncing back to life for another six months, the travel agencies here have no other option but to “wait and watch”.
“Wait and watch is all we can do. Some day tourism will be restored,” he said with a hint of hope.
