Hopes dashed, say players in tourism, hospitality sector
PATNA: Stakeholders in travel and tourism sector in Bihar have their expressed disappointment with the Union budget 2022-23 that was presented by finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday.
Bihar has two UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) sites, the Mahabodhi temple at Bodh Gaya and the ruins of ancient Nalanda University, besides numerous tourist sites at Bodh Gaya, Rajgir, Nalanda, Vaishali and Kesaria, which draw tourists from the Buddhist countries and also from the European countries.
“Thousands of tour planners, travel agencies, tourist guides, interpretors, hotels and transport agencies have remained dependent on tourism activities at these sites. Unfortunately, all these activities have been on hold due to Covid-19 pandemic since 2020,” Suresh Kumar, who runs Niranjana hotel and Niranjana Travels at Bodh Gaya, said.
“Tourism sector expected incentives, but the issue has remained untouched in the Union budget,” Kumar lamented. “The situation at Bodh Gaya is quite depressing. Many private hotels financed by banks have already been sold while some others are on the brink,” he said.
Sudama Kumar, who runs Mahamaya hotel and travels at Bodh Gaya, said the temple town is the worst sufferer as it depended mostly on foreign tourists “In fact, domestic tourists do not prefer to stay back at Bodh Gaya as there’s nothing here except the Mahabodhi temple. Rajgir, with its hot spring, is more preferred by domestic tourists since new tourism attractions have been developed there recently,” he said.
Kaulesh Kumar, who runs Hans Holiday at Rajgir, also lamented that the tourism sector was totally ignored in the Union budget. “For almost three years now, we have remained without work and have been surviving on loans. What will happen next is our main concern now,” he said.
Mahesh Jalan, president of Bihar Pradeshik Marwari Sammelan, said the Union budget had failed to offer any incentive to state like Bihar which needed a special package.