The unrest in northeast India, especially in Manipur, is hitting the tourism sector hard. Even as bookings for different destinations are in full swing, tourists have not shown their keenness for Manipur and Nagaland.
The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) sources told My Kolkata, currently there are almost no bookings for Manipur following the conflict. “Besides individual bookings, we have several packages for northeast India. Arunachal, Assam-Meghalaya and Manipur-Nagaland are always popular spots among Indian and International tourists,” said the official.
Dragon Boat contestants at the Sangai Festival, Imphal iStock photograph
After COVID, from the beginning of 2022, the travel scenario had gained pace. International tourists had started visiting various destinations in India and the northeast had its own share. “When a foreigner travels to the northeast, he/she tries to make the most of the area. However, following the ongoing violence, foreign tourists are avoiding Manipur,” the official added.
Meanwhile, city tour operators are also facing similar issues. “Northeast states are among the best picks during the Puja vacations, but as of now, the booking is almost 70% less in comparison to last year. The violence is continuing and no one knows what’s going to happen,” said Hemant Singh, a travel agent. Hemant said even as there’s time as far as the Puja vacations are concerned, one must remain optimistic, but bookings start well in advance.
Instead of the northeast, people are choosing other popular destinations like Rajasthan, Goa, Kerala, and north Indian states like Himachal Pradesh, Kashmir etc. “There’s a lot of demand for these places and following the government’s initiatives to boost inbound tourism, many off-beat locations are being hyped and that’s a huge booster for the sector,” Hemant added.