Cyclone Fani devastates Puri, Konark and Bhubaneswar, paralyzing tourism

Thursday, May 9, 2019

The cyclone Fani, that devastated Odisha, has virtually destroyed the three principal tourism hubs of Puri, Konark and Bhubaneswar, also known as the Golden Triangle.

The tourist operators and stakeholders in the tourism sector are bearing the brunt of the impact of the terrible cyclone as the tourism hubs continue exhibiting the look of war-torn zones. This time of the year is the summer vacation, and it is the peak season for tourism in Odisha, which has suffered unimaginable losses due to the unexpected tropical cyclone.

Fani cast its shadow on the tourism sector in the pilgrimage town of Puri along with Konark and Bhubaneswar with panicky tourists cutting short their holiday trips and going back home. In Puri, for instance, tourists were asked to vacate hotels on 2 May for their own safety.

Those who opted to stay behind are cursing themselves for having done so with no water and electricity. It is also hard to get food. Plastic money has gone out of circulation and cash is scarce. Computers are dead without power and internet.

Hotels having run out of back-up power are informing guests at the booking counter itself that there is no guarantee on air-conditioned rooms.

It will take at least one month for everything to get back to normal in these places. There is a huge cancellation of bookings.

The cyclone has dealt a major economic blow on those living in tourism in all these places.

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