After blasts, tourist footfall drops to 40% in holy city Amritsar

Amritsar, June 16

Several untoward incidents that have rocked Amritsar in the recent past, including a series of low-intensity explosions and a hoax bomb call near Golden Temple, have left a negative impact on the influx of tourists to the holy city.

Contrary to the SGPC claims that there has been a negligible decline in devotee footfall, employees of hotels and tourism industry observe that the back-to-back unpleasant incidents close to Golden Temple had discouraged tourists from visiting the city.

Not on visitors’ itinerary

Advertisement

Despite the fact that the summer vacations in educational institutions are underway, Amritsar is not on the itinerary of tourists. A number of business meetings that were supposed to be organised in the city have been cancelled. APS Chatha, Hotels, Restaurant Association President

Satnam Singh Kanda, who runs a guest house and a hotel in the walled city, said the occupancy rate had come down by over 60 per cent in recent months.

“Golden Temple is the main destination for a tourist for visiting Jallianwala Bagh and the Retreat parade at the Attari-Wagah border,” he said. “Since my guest house is located near Harmandir Sahib, I know the on-ground situation regarding the decline in the number of visitors. The hop-on, hop-off tourist buses barely have anyone on board and even remained stationary on Heritage Street for want of tourists.”

SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami and secretary Partap Singh had claimed that there was no decline in the number of the devotees to the holy shrine.

Former Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh had observed that tourists could be dejected due to the recent incidents, but the ‘Guru ke Sikh’ had been coming without fail to pay obeisance at the holy shrine.

On this, the Amritsar Hotels and Restaurant Association (AHARA) president APS Chatha said the SGPC claims could be based on the parameters of the consumption of food at the community kitchen of Golden Temple.

“Little do they realise that at least 40 per cent of visitors will be the locals or those belonging to the Below Poverty Line (BPL) who eat on a regular basis at the langar hall,” he said.

“If there is no decline in outstation tourists, then where have they been staying? Why do hoteliers cry about the crisis in business?” Chatha asked. “Tourism had hardly recovered from the aftermath of the Ajnala incident but three blasts took place in the holy city. I believe the tourists have not come out of fear despite the police claiming to have nabbed the culprits,” he said.

He said at least 80 per cent of the hotel bookings had been cancelled. “Despite the fact that the summer vacations in educational institutions are underway, Amritsar is not on the itinerary of tourists. I am aware of a number of business meetings and weddings that were supposed to be held here, but all were cancelled,” he said.

Federation of Hotels and Guest Houses Association president Surinder Singh said intensive checking introduced in the wake of minor blasts had impacted the tourists’ inflow, especially in the walled city.

“The police do not allow rickshaws to ply. It is obvious that the tourists, especially the old, infirm and children carrying their loads of baggage, need rickshaws to reach the guest houses located in the interiors of the city,” said Surinder Singh.