The coronavirus scare has largely affected the tourism in the Dooars with cancellation of room bookings and a scurry by current visitors to return as early as possible.

“We remain overbooked since Holi every year. Ardent requests to get a single room for a family are often turned down. But the corona scare has completely changed the situation. Although Madhyamik, ICSE, CBSE and other board examinations have been over, almost all resorts and hotels at Lataguri, a favourite tourist haunt in the Dooars, are empty. Those who booked rooms three or four months ago are cancelling trips,” said Dibyendu Deb, Lataguri Resort Owners’ Welfare Association.

Popular spots like Meteli, Murti, Chalsa and Samsing in the Dooars are virtually empty now as the scared tourists have turned back their heads.

Parimal Routh, the president of the Gorumara Tourism Welfare Association, said: “Almost all tourists are citing corona as the reason for cancelling bookings. Many of them frankly told us that they would not dare travel by train or flight sharing seats with strangers.”

Ziaur Rahama, the owner of a resort at Batabari, sounds anxious too. “I am busy attending phone calls as prospective tourists are cancelling bookings almost every day. My resort is now completely empty and I don’t know how to compensate such a formidable loss.”

A family that booked a resort at Batabari for five days decided to leave after three days on Sunday claiming that they were feeling unnerved as the corona was affecting larger number of people day by day.

“If such situation continues, the tourism industry in the Dooars would face a formidable setback,” said Arnab Das, a manager of a resort.