A special vaccination drive for tourism stakeholders viz hotel, restaurant owners along with their staff, dhabawalas, travel agents, excursion agents, adventure tour operators, paddleboat owners (shikarawalas), tourist guides, hawkers et al, registered with Tourism Department, started on May 25 in four districts of Jammu division i.e. Jammu, Udhampur, Kathua and Rajouri. This is as per the decision taken during a high-level meeting chaired by the Chief Secretary J&K for prioritised coverage of high-risk and vulnerable groups in the (18-45) age category.
In this special drive, the tourism stakeholders who play a significant role in this industry will receive the first jab of Covishield vaccine. With people registering for the vaccination, the revival of the tourism industry is not far. Although community spread was mitigated with the safety protocols already in place but through this initiative, the tourism industry as a whole will be safeguarded and protected, bringing Jammu one step closer to being the safest place for travellers.
Director of Tourism, Jammu, said, “The revival of the tourism sector is our primary focus. We aim to safeguard the stakeholders of the industry and work towards a fairly normal setup.” He and Pawan Gupta, President of All Jammu Hotels and Lodges Association, thanked the Lieutenant Governor J&K, Secretary to the Government, Tourism and Culture department, District Administration and Health Authorities for implementation of this special vaccination drive.
Pawan said that this step has resolved the problem of people demanding that vaccination should be carried out in a prioritised manner for all the stakeholders. This has created a positive perception and a conducive environment aimed at instilling confidence among travellers who plan to visit Jammu.
On the first day of the camp, over 400 people got vaccinated. The vaccination camps will also be held on May 27 at TRC, Directorate of Tourism, Jammu, GHSS Boys Gole Market, Udhampur, JKTDC’s DakBunglow Patnitop, Tourist Information Centre Mansar, Tangri Palace Kathua and near Salani Bridge Rajouri from 10 am onwards. Walk-in facility is available and on the spot registration on the CoWIN portal will be done with the help of the Tourism Department and Health Authorities. The eligible vaccination beneficiaries are required to carry valid ID proof for registration.
Tourism Authorities said that in the near future, the department will devise modules for capacity building for stakeholders in view of the pandemic and various SOPs will be followed while doing business after the crisis recedes.
