Tourism Ministry helps stranded foreigners

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 10

Though most foreign missions are offering help to their citizens stuck in India due to the lockdown, the ‘StrandedinIndia’ portal of the Ministry of Tourism is also showing results. Till Thursday, it had assisted 1,194 tourists, said a government press release.

The ministry also has a regular toll free helpline 1363 which dealt with 779 calls so far.

Director General of Tourism Meenakshi Sharma, in a webinar organised by the Adventure Tour Operators Association of India, spoke of the country’s need to prioritise containing the spread of the pandemic. The association requested the ministry to come out with guidelines on sanitising camps and operating trekking lodges in a safe manner.

Similar webinars are being organised by FICCI and other tourism-related bodies and at every platform. Their popularity shows that industry and citizens are keen to work together to come out stronger out of the situation, said the statement.