Charter flight traffic based on global Covid scenario: Union Tourism Minister

Panaji, Jan 7 (IANS) The continuation of international tourists charter will depend on the international Covid scenario, Union Minister for Tourism and Culture G. Kishen Reddy said on Friday.Speaking to reporters on his arrival at the Dabolim international airport in Goa, Reddy also said that state government and the Union Home Ministry will take a call on any possibility of restricting tourist activity during the ongoing third wave of the pandemic."It depends on international issues. Whether charter flights are starting in other countries and whether charter flights should enter India, depends on the situation," Reddy said. Charter flights from UK and Russia account for a bulk of Goa's foreign tourist arrivals every year. The pandemic has severely impacted the arrival of foreign tourist footfalls to the coastal state.When asked if the central government was likely to restrict tourist movement in wake of the surge in Covid cases, Reddy said: "The Home Ministry and state governments will decide on that".
--IANS maya/shb/

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