Port Blair, Nov. 2: The long awaited Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the incoming tourists has been formulated. This policy shall encourage the tourists to travel to Andamans and will help revive the many livelihoods that are in distress today.

Amongst the many tourism stakeholders are the thousands of Travel Agents and Tourist cab owners who are pinning their hopes on the reopening of tourism. For the renewal of their annual Tourist Permit, they need to submit renewed insurance papers, which are hefty costs to bear amidst the pandemic especially with no business in the last 10 months.

Taking up the matter before the Chief Secretary, A&N Administration, the AATO President, Shri M. Vinod on behalf of the thousands of tourist cab owners and Travel Agents, mentioned that a one-time exemption from submission of insurance documents may be granted to all tourist vehicles at the time of their Permit Renewal.