Hoteliers invite tourists to Shimla

Tribune News Service

Shimla, June 18

Hoteliers on Monday made a fervent appeal to tourists to visit Shimla and enjoy the pleasant weather as the water crisis was over now.

The tourism industry, including restaurants and taxi operators, were hit severely by the negative publicity the city got due to the water crisis and closure of Shimla and Chandigarh airports for repair in May.

The tourist influx had dropped over 60 per cent in the city, said Sanjay Sood, president, Hotel and Restaurant Association of Northern India (HRANI), at a press conference here.

“The water crisis is over and we urge tourists through the media to visit the city where weather on the peripheries and high spots is pleasant”, Sood added.

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur and acting Chief Justice of the High Court Sanjay Karol intervened and took steps to normalise the water distribution and improve the water availability. As per Shimla Municipal Corporation’s supply schedule, the city was getting about 42 MLD of water, enough for the city’s population, and they wanted to dispel all impressions in cities like Delhi and Mumbai that Shimla was facing water shortage, they clarified.

“Despite water crisis, we never let the feeling of water shortage prevail among tourists, who had visited the city,” added Anil Walia, HRANI’s member.

Walia said hoteliers were offering discounts in the peak summer months to tourists in the city to regain the tourist inflow. “The hoteliers are finding it difficult to pay tax and water, electricity and garbage bills.”

Even taxi, pony operators, photographers, dresswallahs, shopkeepers and the souvenir and crafts industry also suffered huge losses.

HRANI sough action against the defaulters who did not pay the water bills to the corporation and “bread and breakfast” units being run illegally in the city.

“These units, including home stay units, were meant for rural areas, but they are being operated in the city and the Tourism Department should shut all such units,” they demanded.

Dip in tourist arrival

• The tourism industry,  including restaurants and  taxi operators,  were  hit severely by the negative publicity the city got due to the water crisis and closure of Shimla and Chandigarh airports for repair in May.   
• The tourist influx had dropped over 60 per cent in the city