Some 80 tour guides, who were unemployed due to the travel ban, started their temporary jobs in waste management and construction today in Thimphu.
This initiative is part of the temporary relief measures provided by Guide Association of Bhutan (GAB) in collaboration with Tourism Council of Bhutan and Thimphu Thromde.
The guides, divided into several smaller groups, will be working at various sites in Bebena and Olakha for the next two months.
The tourism sector is one of the worst hit sectors by COVID-19 pandemic. A majority of the guides in the country are freelancers and they have been affected the most.
GAB said that with the pandemic hitting the travel industry just after the lean tourists season and right at the onset of peak tourist season in Bhutan, many freelance guides faced a major livelihood crisis. Many of them have been without jobs for about five to six months.
According to GAB, the employment program was initiated to support the guides financially, to keep them engaged and to bring the tourism family together. The guides are paid Nu 15,000 a month.
Garab Dorji, the Chairman of GAB, said that many guides had shared their hardships on social media. “Some of them even called us personally to tell us about their problems. Boredom, depression and financial problems are the common issues faced by guides. Some of them don’t even have money to ride a bus,” he said.
However with the initiative, many of them are happy that it will help them tide over the difficult times.
Dawa Gyeltshen, a tour guide, said that this is the first time he is taking up such a job. “Many guides came here today to work. If we stay home, we would just be wasting our time. We are going to get paid for our work. We can say that we have jobs and our wallets also won’t be empty all the time. We are happy,” he said.
Karma Tenzin, another tourist guide, said that tourism sector is the most affected in the country due to COVID-19 and almost all guides have become jobless. “The initiative is very helpful. I have been without a job for three months. Even if the work is picking up garbage or cutting grass, it is eventually going to benefit us,” he added.
GAB has plans to involve more than 100 guides for such works at Taktshang in Paro by May this year.
GAB was founded in 2005 and officially started functioning since 2009.
Tshering Dendup
