Tourist footfall drops in state and there are number of factors to blame

Ravinder Makhaik 

Water woes in summer season, bad roads, changing weather patterns and enforcement of hotel operating regulations have all come together to hit Himachal tourism hard, as the sector is witnessing a decline. 

Faced with a fall in business, Mohinder Seth, a hotel owner is Shimla says: “The year has been really bad so far and the hotel business has been beaten down.” 

Data shows that between January and September, 1,25,96,220 domestic tourists (at 16 per cent) were less than those (1,50,04,886 tourists) who visited the state in the first nine months last year. 

The number of foreign tourists has fallen by 24 per cent. Where there were 3,77,240 foreign tourists till September in 2017, only 2,86,698 travelled to Himachal in the period this year. 

The complicity of infrastructure shortcomings and climate change are being attributed to drop in tourist footfall. The impact of a severe water crisis striking the capital in peak summer and damage inflicted by widening of highways kept visitors away. 

A normal four-hour journey between Chandigarh and Shimla, on many days, took six to seven hours or more of travel time. The condition of the highway to popular getaway of Kullu-Manali was so bad, that some luxury tourist coaches were unable to even reach the destination. 

A hotel owner in Manali, Jai Kumar Sirohia laments: “Flashfloods in September damaged the roads so badly that Volvo buses were unable to negotiate the road at many points and at others, they caused massive traffic jams that hindered the movement for other vehicles as well.” 

“The road between Mandi and Manali is not worth plying any type of vehicle,” says Sirohia. “No government is worried about it,” he added. 

Freak weather conditions had triggered a long dry spell at the start of the year. It was a rare winter with no snowfall. Water sources left uncharged because of no winter precipitation lead to a dry summer that precipitated an unprecedented water crisis. 

As the water trickled down to a supply of once in a week for Shimla, cancellations of hotel bookings had a cascading impact on other circuit destinations of Kullu-Manali, Dharamsala, Dalhousie among other areas. Water shortage even forced Dharamsala-McLeodganj civic authorities to lock up many public toilets.  “The water crisis washed out the peak summer rush season,” said Seth, a former president of Shimla Hotel Association. 

“Operating hotels is becoming an unviable business and many owners have even leased out their properties,” he adds. Before the monsoon receded fully, an early onset of winter pounded high mountain passes with heavy snow in September itself. The passes of Rohtang, Kunzum and Bara-lacha were snowbound, two months early than a normal year. 

All travel itineraries to the popular autumn circuit of Lahaul and Spiti region were called off and the government had to carry out emergency rescue operations for the tourists, who were caught up en-route. 

The Indian Air Force airlifted about 250 tourists, which included foreigners and about another 5,000 were brought to safety by daring road rescues. Many Bollywood film troupes, who had shooting schedules lined up had to cancel it. 

A reduced room capacity because of courts and the National Green Tribunal shutting down many hotels in Kullu-Manali valley, Kasauli and around Dharamsala for operating illegally or being in violation of environment and building laws has impacted tourist numbers. 

CM Jairam Thakur, who oversees the tourism ministry himself, however, is optimistic. Dismissing the fatigue of travellers’ interest, he said: “We have drawn up plans for improving infrastructure and are developing new destinations that will attract a higher number of tourists in the coming years.” 

On the ADB-funded Rs 1,892 crore project, the CM said: “Nai Raahein, Nai Manjilen is for developing lesser known destinations like Janjehli in Mandi district, Chanshal heights in Shimla district and Bir-Billing in Kangra. Towns like Nahan, Solan Palampur, Keylong and Kaza would be beautified that would make Himachal much more attractive.’