Dear Friends,

As you know India began COVID-19 vaccines programme on 16 January 2021 and as on 13 May 2021, following are the statistics

  • Total Sites Conducting Vaccination - 40655 (Government - 39233, Private -1422)
  • Total Registrations  - 20,80,08,464 – (Age 18 to 44 - 7,20,54,461), (Age 45 plus - 13,59,54,002)
  • Total Vaccination done dose 1 and dose 2  - 17,86,82,964, (Dose 1 - 13,92,78,403)  (Dose 2 - 3,94,04,561)

I am writing this to make an appeal to all our members to register yourself, your family, your staff and their families and register at the earliest possible.

It is very important for all of us in the tourism and hospitality industry to get ourselves and staff vaccinated as early as possible and once the vaccinations is done, same should be conveyed to all your counterparts/foreign tour operators to create confidence amongst them that vaccination programme in India is going on in full swing and all our staff and the frontline workers  i.e., airport representatives, drivers, guides, escorts and tourist felicitators, hotel front office, reception and restaurant staff etc. have been vaccinated. You may also convey to them that as soon as e-Tourist Visa and international flight operation is resumed, we are ready to welcome foreign tourists. This will encourage foreign tour operators to resume business to India.

As you know registration can be done on website www.cowin.gov.in

We know presently there is shortage of vaccines but one has to try daily on the above website every day to book slot for vaccination. People are getting success in getting slots. However for your knowledge for people between the age of 18-44, slots are being made available one day prior to the vaccination date. However, different states have different policies.

As per the news, the Covid-19 vaccine production of the country will be accelerated in the next coming months as both Pune's Serum Institute of India and Hyderabad's Bharat Biotech are ramping up their monthly production capacity. Besides Sputnik V is also going to be available soon.

Looking forward to your favourable support and action which will help us to revive tourism at the earliest.

Note: Please note, we are also trying for priority vaccination for the tourism professionals both at the centre and state level, but no luck so far.

 

With regards,

Rajiv Mehra

President