Transform COVID-19 challenge on Indian Tourism Industry

in to an Opportunity
By
Mr.Swagat Kumar Rath
Faculty of Commerce
Anubhuti School and Jr.College, Jalgaon.

1.0. Introduction

From the Bay of Bengal to the Desert of Rajasthan and from the beautiful Kashmir Lake to
the peaceful Kanyakumari, the culture and the heritage of India has represented by the
tourism industry. Indian tourism is an eye candy for the world, to attract the tourists and
develop the Indian economy. It is not only develop the GDP of the country but it opens
employment opportunity and livelihood for the people. The motto of the campaign “Atithi
Devo Bhava” builds the Image of Indian tourism in the world. The world tourism is highly
affected by Pandemic Covid-19. It brings a lot of unemployment, Stress and Burn-outs in the
hospitality and tourism sectors. As you know, we learn from yesterday, live for today and
hope for tomorrow. So there is a hope “Hum Honge Kamayab” in the post pandemic Covid-
19 for the tourism industries.

2.0. Opportunities and Challenges

 Difficult to attract the long distance and foreign tourists.

 Restructuring the governance of State and National tourism.
 Availing a better technical platform.
 Training and education for the tourists and the employees both.
 Convincing about the health and hygiene.
 Problems to small stakeholders and supporters of tourism industry like: Tourist Guides,
Tour Operators and brokers as well.
 Issues in temple cities like Puri, Bhubaneswar, Kanchipuram and Banaras.

2.1. Briefing the above challenges and converting in to Opportunities

2.1.1. Develop the Governing system of the tourism industry

Corona will definitely change the governing system of Indian tourism and state tourism as
well. The Organization structure and system will definitely change in different prospective of
the National tourism corporation. It may be in the form of decision-making and making new
strategies for upcoming challenges. The Situation gives a lesson to the tourism industry that
what so ever “People Come First”. It means without the tourists rest all physical beauty and
the hospitality services are worthless. It will definitely bring a spiritual concern like for the
people, by the people and to the people. Though Covid-19 brings a lot of challenges to the
Service and hospitality industries but meanwhile it will be aware us to maintain the health,
hygiene and cleanliness for each and every service industries. Earlier we made a campaign
do not destroy your own heritage, now including that we should more careful about the
cleanliness. So along with protecting the heritage, cleanliness and hygiene’s should be more
prioritized.

This preprint research paper has not been peer reviewed. Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3621774
 2.1.2. Build a technical infrastructure-

Covid 19 brings a lot of changes in technical infrastructure, now tourism industry should give
more emphasis to develop technical platforms and train the future human resources. Again
the E-commerce companies (like Goibibo, Make my-Trip) have to make new strategies to
attract the tourists. Earlier the tourists are more attracted by the physical infrastructure of
the hotel and their facilities. Earlier the technical infrastructures like online services and
other virtual services are just a supplement to the physical infrastructure of the tourism
industry. But now people are more concern about the technical facilities rather than the
physical beauty. Covid 19 brings a lot of changes in using and restructuring the online
platform. It will help the tourism industry to bring the flexibility and reduces the inter-
dependability. The same way you will get effective and well-trained Human resources for
excellent services.

2.1.3. Opportunity for Merging and Diversifying the Business-

Covid 19 will bring a lot of merging between Business houses and tourism industries. As you
know the aviation industries, hotel industries, restaurants are collapsed. So posts Covid is no
doubt a challenge to these supporting industries and bring them back on track. So merging
between two aviation industries for short distances, merging between small tour operators
and travel agencies. Take an example of OYO room is one of the best services providers in
tourism industries. It brings all small town hotels to the global platform. Such kind of
merging will definitely take place in the future. It will defiantly help tourism industry to
make new strategies of Marketing and Advertisement as well.

2.1.4. Develop Training Programs and alternative for the entire stakeholders-

Due to the pandemic issue the small tour Operators, the Tourist Guides and the craft sellers
will try some online platform to bring back their livelihood. It’s a lesson for the small-scale
craft companies and even small tourism operators to go online and trained them in such a
way so that they are ready to face such kind of pandemic situations in future too. So Covid
19 will definitely change the MSME sector, Small tour Operators, Craft sellers, which are the
associate hands of the tourism industry.

2.1.5. Educate all the stakeholders and create awareness -

Covid-19 brings the “People, environment and the society” all together in a single plat-form.
As you know, when you destroyed the environment, the environment pays you back. So the
impact of the covid-19 will definitely create a deep concern to protect the environment. In a
positive note you may know that the Ganga River is fully clean and returned to its old glory
from last two months and same way the ozone layers are filled. Delhi is one of the biggest
tourism places with a lot of Indian heritages and visiting places but at the same time it is the
most polluted city after Kanpur in India. During the Covid the pollution rate is also
decreased in Delhi and it is good news for the Delhi tourism. Now come to the society, the
people and the society came to know tourism is not only a part of the society but it provides
the day-to-day livelihood. So the society and the community will be very careful and will
develop a good behavior and it will definitely develop a new attitude in them. So this
pandemic situation aware the society to create an ecological environment and meanwhile
an interdependent behavior in the community.

This preprint research paper has not been peer reviewed. Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3621774
 2.1.6. Improve Rural Tourism and the Tribal tourism-

As you know the temples and most pilgrim places are lockdown by the order of the
Government. Now State and National Tourism Corporation should give importance to the
Tribal and Rural tourism. It is quite easy to avail transportation within the city or intercity
Tribal and Rural sightseeing.

3.0. Recommendation and Conclusion-

Including these challenges and opportunities, I will recommend some points before my
conclusion that, Why didn’t we are prepared for such kind situations. Why don’t we have
such kind of infrastructure? Being the highest populating country in the world, we are not
prepared to face such kind of crisis. We showed the world the great Tajamahal, so why
don’t we take this Covid as a challenge and develop such kind of infrastructure, attitude,
belief, morale and make ourselves so strong. Whichever industry, it may be, we will try to
come back with same enthusiasm and develop new belief and value for the upcoming
generation.

So I will conclude my writing by saying this, the world is not full bed of roses, it is full of
hardship and struggle. So posts Covid is a challenge to the whole world, but take it as an
opportunity for a sustainable development.
4.0. References

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impact_of_the_COVID-
19_pandemic_on_the_arts_and_cultural_heritage.

2. https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/thiruvananthapuram/2020/may/12/covi
d-19-impact-uncertainty-looms-over-kerala-tourism-industry-2142057.html.

3. https://www.outlookindia.com/outlooktraveller/explore/story/70362/experts-
share-insights-on-the-effects-of-coronavirus-on-the-tourism-industry.

4. https://www.india.gov.in/official-website-ministry-tourism.

5. https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/risk/our-insights/covid-19-
implications-for-business.

This preprint research paper has not been peer reviewed. Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3621774