MakeMyTrip, tourism ministry launch initiatives to fight coronavirus crisis

MMT has offered discounts for doctors, while tourism ministry has launched a special website for stranded foreign tourists

MakeMyTrip trip is offering discounted hotel accommodation to doctors in cities and tourism ministry has launched a website to support stranded foreign travellers as the country witnesses 21-day lockdown to battle Covid-19 crisis.

MakeMyTrip said it launched the initiative to support temporary accommodation needs of medical frontline staff fighting Covid-19 and will enable them to book from over 900 hotels across 200 cities at discounted rates.

In a statement, MakeMyTrip executive chairman Deep Kalra said, "We are grateful for the courage shown by healthcare workers and we want to assist them by providing comfortable and subsidised  accommodation options to these heroic first responders."

A 21-day national lockdown was announced by the central government last Tuesday. International air travel was suspended from March 22 and the same has been extended till April 14. Air India, Air France, Lufthansa, and other airlines are operating relief flights to transport European citizens but the lockdown and travel ban are hurting foreign travellers.

To support them the tourism ministry introduced strandedinindia.com which has information on Covid-19 helplines, Ministry of External Affairs control rooms, regional tourism support infrastructure and a help support section to connect foreign tourists with concerned authorities.

Around 1500-2000 foreign tourists including British, Russians, Germans and Israeli nationals have flown from Goa in special flights but those who still remain are facing a challenging time.

"Guesthouses and small hotels in Goa ran out of supplies and are short of staff too. Restaurants and shacks on the beaches too have been shut. However the situation is easing a bit as milk and vegetable supplies to localities have resumed," said Ernest Dias, president of Goa unit of international travel body Skal International.