In an attempt to revive its tourism sector, Himachal Pradesh has relaxed some restrictions imposed on tourists visiting the state.
Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, in a Cabinet meeting, revealed his decision of reducing the tourists’ minimum duration of stay from 5 days to 2 days. Furthermore, the existing protocols related to the mandatory COVID-19 negative certificates of the tourists for entering the state, have also been eased. According to the previous norms, the COVID negative certificate submitted by the tourists upon arrival in the state was not supposed to be more than 3 days old. However, in accordance with the newly made announcement in this regard, the time duration of the COVID negative certificate has been increased to 4 days.
These relaxations made to the previously imposed tourist restrictions in Himachal Pradesh will definitely prove to be very hopeful news for the travel junkies, who were struggling with their plans to tour this beautiful hill station safely in this “new normal”.
Urban Development Minister Suresh Bhardwaj has stated that no tourist will be allowed to enter the hill state without a valid e-pass. The travellers will be required to enter their credentials on the software to receive an “on priority permission”.
The tourism industry of Himachal Pradesh has experienced a standstill since the first lockdown to contain Coronavirus was announced in the country in the month of March. Although the hotels in the state received permission to run after the announcement of the guidelines for unlock 3, yet the stakeholders of the tourism sector made sure that the COVID-19 norms for travellers were very rigid.