Cast vote, get up to 20% discount in HP hotels
SHIMLA: Hotel owners in Himachal Pradesh are offering a discount of 10 to 20% to every guest who shows the indelible ink mark as a proof of having voted in the Lok Sabha elections.
The long election season has proved to be a dampener for the tourism industry in the state.
The elections have finished early in many other states that contribute largely to the tourism sector, but polling in Himachal Pradesh, to be held in the last phase on May 19, has hampered the arrival of the holiday makers.
“The hotel occupancy in Shimla and other places is 40% against 80 to 90% during this period,” says Anup Thakur, president, Hotel and Restaurateurs Association, Manali. “With just the eight days to elections in the state, hoteliers and restaurateurs across the state are offering 10 to 20% discount to the guest who shows the indelible ink,” he said.
There are nearly 350 hotels and guest houses registered with the tourism department in Shimla and surrounding areas. Besides, there are many unregistered hotels.
The registered hotels and guest houses have a capacity to accommodate 10,000 to 12,000 people.
The tourist flow to Shimla, Manali, Dalhousie, Dharamshasla, Kasuali and Chail increases by mid-April and peaks in May and June. Majority of tourists arrive from West Bengal, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan.
“Voting is not just your right but also a guest responsibility. We are offering 20% discount to all couples who book rooms after casting their vote,” said Abhishekh Mehra, owner of Anand Resort, Gushani village in Kullu district.
Hoteliers and restaurateurs in Shimla too are offering discounts on food and beverages to first time voters on the polling day on May 19.
“There is plan to offer 15 to 20% discount on food items to the first-time voters in Shimla town after they show the indelible ink mark,” said Sanjay Sood, owner of a bar and restaurant on The Mall Road.
Hotel business in Shimla was adversely affected in the last summer season due to water scarcity, which lasted nearly for ten days.