Port Blair, Oct. 21: The Hon’ble Lt Governor, A&N Islands has ordered waiving off of various annual registration fees and user charges of Tourism service providers, in order to provide relief to Tourism sector facing the brunt of COVID-19 pandemic.  

The Administration has decided to waive off annual renewal fee of 61 scuba diving centres, 02 sea walk operators and 09 Kiosks at Rajiv Gandhi Water Sports Complex for the period up to 31/03/2021. Renewal fees of 14 Homestay Units registered with Tourism Department whose registration was expiring during the COVID period, has also been waived off. The total amount of relief is Rs. 5,44,662/-. The safety inspections will be carried out in order to ensure safe operations.

Tourism sector is the backbone of the economy of the A&N Islands, on which livelihood of thousands of people depend. However, the tourism activities had been suspended in the Islands, in the wake of outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic in the country. Administration has re-opened tourism sector w.e.f 27th September, 2020 on the occasion of World Tourism Day prescribing various precautions to be taken by service providers. Various measures for revival of tourism sector in these Islands are also being taken.

It is hoped that with the opening of Tourism sector in the unlock phase the islands, economic growth will pick up, providing livelihoods support to the islanders. Waiving off of user charges and registration fees will help provide further relief to the tourism service providers and mitigate the hardship faced by them during the pandemic.