Rs 450 cr loss for Ajanta-Ellora sites due to Covid

July 29, 2020 17:29

The COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted tourism in Aurangabad district of Maharashtra, with local businessmen claiming losses running into crores and no normal resumption of tourist activities till late next year. Home to Ajanta and Ellora Caves, two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, among other monuments, Aurangabad sees heavy footfall of tourists throughout the year and many locals depend on the industry for their livelihood.

"There are at least 15,000 people in the entire district who are connected to the tourism industry and the closure of monuments during the coronavirus-induced lockdown has resulted in losses of over Rs 450 crore," said Jaswant Singh, president of Aurangabad Tourism Development Foundation.

"Even if the pandemic gradually abates, the fear in minds of travellers will remain for some time," he said. With no tour bookings coming in for winter holidays this year, the situation is likely to normalise only by September 2021, Singh said.

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