As plains scorch, tourists head for hills in Himachal
With the plains in the grip of a blistering heatwave, tourist season the hill state of Himachal Pradesh has arrived a month in advance as thousands head to colder climes.
While environmentalists fret over the climatic anomaly causing record-breaking heat in spring, Covid-beleaguered tourism-dependent businesses in the hill state are finally thriving after two years.
“A lot of tourists are coming to Himachal this time, which is good for the industry that has suffered huge losses due to the coronavirus pandemic over the last two years,” says tourism director Amit Kashyap.
Tourism contributes 7% to the state’s gross domestic product (SGDP). After the pandemic ended, the state was only able to draw 52 lakh tourists in the last financial year.However, this year most of the hotels run by the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation are
running at full capacity.
“Due to the long weekend, the occupancy of Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPDTC) is full,” says assistant general manager at HPTDC’s flagship hotel, Holiday Home, in Shimla.
Congested roads, water shortage
The tourist influx has increased congestion on the roads. Traffic snarls are a routine affair in Shimla these days.
Traffic surveys suggest that in peak hours, traffic volume varies from a minimum of 1,001 PCU ( passenger car equivalent) at Boileauganj Chowk to a maximum of 3,901 PCUs at Victory Tunnel. Similarly, during peak hours, traffic volume varies from a minimum of 812 PCUs at IGMC Chowk. With 35% of the local population depending on the public transport, 240 buses both government-owned and private ply on the roads.
Meanwhile, tour operators from Gujarat no longer prefer Shimla as a tourist destination after in the wake of increasing traffic problems and shortage of parking, the local administration had banned the entry of tourist buses in Shimla town, which makes it difficult for tourists to reach their hotels in the capital city. Adding to tourists’, and hoteliers’ woes is irregular water supply, in the wake of a prolonged dry spell. Natural water sources are gradually receding leading to water shortage in Shimla town.
Tourists prefer to stay outside Shimla
The ‘queen of hills’ is gradually losing its charm, with tourists from across the country preferring to holiday on the outskirts rather than spending time in town. Therefore, a large number of homestays have come up on the outskirt of Shimla in Mashobra, Kufri, Bharari, and Koti.