The Digha-Sankarpur Hoteliers’ Association has set up two camps in association with local polyclinics in the East Midnapore seaside town to provide rapid antigen test (RAT) facilities to tourists who come without Covid-negative certificates.

“Tourism in East Midnapore has taken several hits over the past 18 months (owing to the pandemic). Setting up Covid-19 testing facilities is a part of our endeavour to revive tourism in a protected way,” said an official of the hoteliers’ association.

The two camps are at Old Digha and New Digha. The cost of testing per person is Rs 240. “The government will keep track of the testing formalities,” said Ramnagar-I BDO, Bishnupada Ray.

Sources said that last week, hoteliers had told the district administration that turning away tourists without Covid-negative certificates had hit their earnings badly, following which district magistrate Purnendu Majhi met hoteliers and approved the idea of tying up with polyclinics to test tourists without certificates in Digha itself.

“The decision is a timely one. Every year there is an ‘August rush’ in Digha, starting from Independence Day and ending around Rakhi,” said a member of the hoteliers’ association.