WRITTEN BY CH. FAISAL MAHMOOD
Tourism industry all over the world from one end to another has entered into an unprecedented, unparallel and matchless crisis since the World War 2. The horrifying thing is that the duration and devastating impact of the killer virus is still unknown, apparently limitless. Truly, we never witnessed tourism industry of the world in such big trouble before.
As we mentioned that the Tourism industry of whole world, from Artic region to Thailand is feeling the impact. Those places on the beautiful planet of Allah, where every good tourism destination was hasty busty with tourists with no place to sit, the over booked hotels, fully loaded cruise ships, fully occupied beach resorts, mountains full of mountaineers, underground and over ground trains and buses, all are giving deserted look.
The situation is so grave that an astounding one million jobs are being lost every day in tourism sector and up to 75 million jobs are at immediate risk in global tourism due to this pandemic. The alarming figure, based on research from WTTC, shows a punishing tourism GDP loss to the world economy of up to US$2.1 trillion or more in 2020.
The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), The World Travel and Tourism Counsel (WTTC),The Pacific Asia Tourism Association(PATA) and The International Air Transport Association (IATA) are appealing and requesting the governments and world banks to come forward and pump in trillions of dollars to save the tourism, hospitality and aviation institutions and organizations form complete collapse.
Reviewing its previous estimates, The International Air Transport Association (IATA) now says that airlines could lose up to US $252 billion if the coronavirus spread continues unabated.
At Home! In Pakistan situation is not much different than other part of the world every single travel and tourism organization either closed or planning to close down including PIA and Pakistan Railways. SOS Calls for economic support in the shape of packages are being raised by TAAP, PATO and PHA. Chairman Pakistan Hotels Association has appealed to the PM Pakistan that Hotels are in dire need of relief due to the heavy and direct impact of Coronavirus outbreak resultantly many are pulling down their shutters so rescue the hospitality sector by releasing their burden of utility bills, social security, EOB1, Property Tax and many more local taxes.
The governments, whither Federal or provincials are behaving strange and in state of Panic. The blame game, in such critical stage is still on and our all socio-political pandits are miserable failed to form a unified and uniformed approach toward handling of this menace. Please Almighty Allah have mercy on us. Neglected for years as usual, the turn of the tourism industry to be rescued by the government will come late so this time again, we fear that the sector is going to suffer a lot – And for longer period of time.
