Aurangabad: Tourists at major monuments in Maharashtra’s Aurangabad district have come down significantly this year as tourist places remained closed for a few months in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and issues related to livelihood to guides as well as others dependent on the tourism industry. is facing.
Aurangabad also known as the ‘Tourism Capital of Maharashtra’ is home to many tourist attractions including the world famous Ajanta and Ellora Caves, Bibi-ka-Maqbara, Daulatabad (Devagiri) Fort and Aurangabad Caves. According to the data of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the number of domestic tourists at these five sites under its jurisdiction declined to 5.94 lakh from March 21 to November 21 this year, as compared to that in 2019-20 (pre-epidemic period). It was 19.77 lakh and 23 lakh in 2018-19. The monuments remained closed in 2020-21 due to the lockdown in view of COVID-19.
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These caves at Aurangabad will give you an in-depth look at Buddhist history.
Credits : Anindita tourist
These caves at Aurangabad will give you an in-depth look at Buddhist history.#MaharashtraUnlimited pic.twitter.com/IGnzNzC5jV— Maharashtra Tourism (@maha_tourism) December 20, 2021
According to official figures, only 745 foreign tourists visited these five monuments till November 21 this year, compared to over 40,000 in 2019-20. ASI, Aurangabad superintendent Milan Kumar Chowle told PTI, “The pandemic has taught us to restrict the entry of tourists to our monuments. People learned to book tickets online and many of them have now adopted it as a regular practice.”
He said that while earlier the task of managing tourists used to take a lot of manpower, this year the ASI utilized the workforce for the upkeep of these monuments. However, guides and others dependent on the tourism industry faced tough times.
Amod Basole, president of the Ellora Guides Welfare Association, said this year there were not many foreign flights and the policy regarding domestic tourism kept changing in the wake of the pandemic, reducing work for them. “There are around 60 registered guides in our district, but half of them have left the profession. If business returns to normal, it will take at least three years for all the guides to come back here.” (agency)