Tourist footfall goes down by 70% in Dharamsala

Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, August 11

Long weekends would always mean better tourist season for Dharamsala. Though this weekend too is extended due to the 71st Independence Day, only a handful of tourists thronged the city this time.

President of the Upper Dharamsala Hotel and Restaurant Association Ashwani Bamba said this year, the footfall had gone down by 70 per cent.

He said tour operators were not willing to get hotels booked due to reports of their closure. During the peak summer months, a large number of people flocked to Dharamsala, he added.

As most tourists come through tour operators, the Dharamsala Hotel Association had tried to convince the former that everything was fine in the area. But that did not help.

Bamba said the state government should do something and spread the word that only 10 per cent hotels were facing penal action for illegal constructions. Sanjeev Gandhi, general secretary, Upper Dharamsala Hotel Association, said the Forest Department had banned camping at Triund for three months.

Triund is a major attraction for trekkers. It has been closed for camping on the plea that pollution is being caused due to the influx of tourists.

“But if that’s the reason to ban camping in Triund, why is the Nepal government still allowingMount Everest summit, which was termed the most littered peak recently. Since Triund is associated with the tourism industry in Dharamsala, the state government should look for alternative ways to protect the environment,” Gandhi said.

The association has been demanding more parking space in upper Dharamsala as traffic jams have become a routine affair here.