In a leg-up to the COVID-battered tourism industry in West Bengal, bookings for the Durga Puja festive season have surged beyond expectations, tour operators said. According to industry sources, bookings for trips during Durga Puja are in full swing amid fears of a possible third wave of the pandemic. “Most village tourism destinations like Sittong, Tagdah, Tinchuley, Pedong are totally booked for the Durga Puja, and bookings have also started for Diwali and Christmas holidays,” he said. Basu said that if the trend continues, the tourism industry would be assured of a turnaround from the lull it faced since March 2020, when the nationwide lockdown was announced. Punjabi said that with a large percentage of people vaccinated and the travel industry sticking to safety protocol, tourist movement has started increasing rapidly.

Source: Indian Express October 11, 2021 16:07 UTC