Heatwave brings down tourist inflow to Amritsar
Sudden spike in temperatures reduces sales at vends at ISBT, railway station
With entire North India reeling under an intense heatwave with the mercury consistently crossing the 40°C mark over the past few days, tourist footfall in Amritsar has declined significantly.
Piyush Kapoor, senior manager at a leading hotel and an office-bearer of the Amritsar Hotel and Restaurant Association (AHARA), said there has been a 50 to 70 per cent fall in arrival of tourists and a similar dip in room occupancy.
“However, it is not unexpected as it happens every year. With the rise in temperature, travellers cut down leisure tourism, and the trend continues till August. Yes, we receive a spurt in the footfall of tourists with the commencement of summer vacation in schools, but that is largely because Amritsar serves as a stopover for tourists heading to the Kashmir Valley,” he said.
Meanwhile, the sudden spike in temperature has brought down footfall at public places, especially the railway station and the Shaheed Madan Lal Dhingra Inter State Bus Terminus.
Vendors at these places reported a dip in sales. People are avoiding unnecessary travel, and even inbound movement has gone down. Tourism, which is the mainstay of the city’s economy, is hit.
Even during necessary outings, people are no longer traveling with children and the elderly. Leisure outings have especially been put on hold, said a vendor at the railway station.
The result is visible on the sale of the material. Sales are now driven mainly by water bottles and cold drinks, while consumption of coffee and tea has gone down drastically.
During afternoon hours, both the ISBT and the railway station wear a deserted look.
