PANAJI: Goa's tourism industry is currently seeing 15 to 20 per cent cancellations in hotel bookings after a sudden spike in Covid-19 cases in the coastal state, an industry representative said on Wednesday.
The state on Tuesday reported 592 fresh cases of Covid-19, with the positivity rate remaining high at 13.89 per cent, dropping from a rate of 26% the previous day, as per the health department,
In the wake of the rise in Covid-19 cases, tourists have started canceling their visit to the state, says Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) president Nilesh Shah. "The hotel booking cancellations are between 15 and 20 per cent," as people are avoiding travel these days due to Covid-19-related restrictions".
The tourism industry is adhering to the standard operating procedures (SOPs) and all those employed in the sector have taken both doses of vaccine against Covid-19, he said.
"Experts have predicted that the Covid-19 numbers will peak in the next seven to ten days and then come down," he said. Shah said they expect the situation to improve by next month.
He also said that the present surge in Covid-19 cases "should not be solely attributed to the rush in Goa for the New Year celebrations" as the rise in viral infections is also being witnessed in other parts of the country and the world.