Ahmedabad: Gujaratis are avid travellers and they travel to various tourist destinations during the Diwali holidays. However, the tourism industry of the state has received a mixed response this year due to COVID-19. Some destinations were full, while elsewhere hotels kept waiting for tourists.
Special facilities for tourists at Tithal
Tithal Sea Beach near Valsad city has been a tourist attraction for Mumbai and Surat tourists for years. However, this year the place saw less footfall amid the Covid-19. However, during Diwali holidays, many families have been thronging the beach to enjoy and relax. A variety of facilities have come up for tourists. Several rides have been put up for children. Food stalls have come up so that tourists from outside can enjoy the beach and local foods. Public toilets have also been built nearby.
Hotels and resorts houseful in Diu
Even after unlocking was announced tourists did not come to Diu due to strict rules. With the Diwali holidays approaching, some rules for tourists have been relaxed and that led to an influx of tourists in Diu. Known as Mini Goa the beach of the Diu is full of tourists during the Diwali festivals. For all five days of Diwali festival, Diu's hotels and resorts were housefull. There are about 1600 rooms in Diu in 40 different hotels and resorts, all of which were packed with tourists. The Diwali season and vacation lasts about 15 days, but this year there are hardly any visitors from other states, so the tourist season will last only about a week. Hotel owners are hoping to extend the season. The month of December also sees the arrival of travellers, so hotel owners hope the December season will go well.
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Tourist at Shivrajpur beach in Dwarka
There is a huge drop in the number of pilgrims coming to Dwarka during Diwali vacation this year, but many tourists have visited nearby Shivrajpur Beach. This beach has recently got the title of Blue Flag, which is recognition of its serene and clean beach, where one gets peace of mind. Separate toilet blocks for men and women, water treatment plant and facilities to safely swim in the sea have been set up at Shivrajpur beach. A committee has been formed at Shivrajpur beach under the direct supervision of the district collector and adequate attention is being paid to the convenience of the people as well as cleanliness. Trained lifeguards have also been put on duty for safe swimming in the sea. The Gujarat Ecology Commission has made beautiful arrangements on this beach using solar lights. Travellers who travel abroad at a cost of lakhs of rupees come to this Shivrajpur beach near Dwarka to enjoy the same clean and enjoyable sea beach.
Somnath is still waiting for tourists
Six months after the lockdown, the tourism industry is still struggling with unemployment. Even at Somnath, a Jyotirlinga temple, traders are suffering as tourism has gone down. Vijaysinh Chavda, General Manager of Somnath Trust, told ETV Bharat that the number of pilgrims has gone down substantially. In the normal days before Covid-19, 8,000 to 10,000 people used to visit Somnath temple daily and on Sundays and holidays, the number would be around 25,000. However, these days only about 3,000 people visit Somnath daily and on Sundays and holidays, only 8,000 to 10,000 thousand people come to visit. Darshan in the temple has been arranged keeping in mind all the guidelines of Covid-19. However, the numbers of pilgrims are still low.
Few travellers at Kirti Mandir
Tourists visiting Somnath and Dwarka temples would also visit Porbandar, but the number of tourists has declined as trains from other states are still closed due to the Coronavirus pandemic. The Kirti Mandir in Porbandar attracts tourists from home and abroad, but nowadays there are only a few tourists. A tourist from Hyderabad said that he has visited many places in Gujarat during this period and he is happy to note that Covid-19 guidelines are being followed at all places. People should come and visit here, he added.
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Heavy Tourists flow at the 'Statue of Unity'
Kevadia, a tourist destination near Sardar Sarovar Dam and the place of the Statue of Unity, has become housefull during the Diwali holidays. Tourists have flocked in large numbers to see the 'Statue of Unity'. Keeping in mind the tourists’ flow, the administration at the Statue of Unity, decided to keep it open on all the days. Kevadia Pravasan Dham and all the places remained open even on Monday for the New Year festival. 100% occupancy is registered in hotels and homestays here.
Good response for sea-plane
The sea-plane from Ahmedabad to Kevadia Colony was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the occasion of 'National Unity Day' on the birth anniversary of Sardar Patel on October 31. Now, this sea-plane service is available on a daily basis and is getting a good response on Diwali days. People from all over Gujarat and even from outside the state are taking sea-plane flights between Ahmedabad and Kevadia Colony. From Ahmedabad, one can take a sea-plane flight and reach Sardar Sarovar Dam near Kevadia to see the world's largest statue - the 'Statue of Unity'. Sea-plane bookings are full for Diwali. But due to the maintenance of the sea-plane, sometimes the facility of the plane is closed, so before planning one should check online.
