Long weekend: 80% hotels booked in Shimla, Manali

Tribune News Service

Bhanu P Lohumi

Shimla, April 12

A heavy tourist rush is expected during the coming long weekend and Shimla, Manali and Dharamsala will be packed to capacity as about 80 per cent booking has already been made.

Also read: Demand picks up, long weekend brings cheer to Kasauli, Chail hoteliers

The tourism industry had been reeling under the impact of Covid for nearly two years but this summer, all restrictions have been removed and hoteliers are hoping for buoyancy in tourist arrivals.

100% occupancy at weekend likely

We are expecting almost 100 per cent occupancy in the coming weekend and about 80 per cent rooms are already booked. Prince Kukreja, Shimla hotel and restaurant association vice-president

“We are expecting almost 100 per cent occupancy in the coming weekend and about 80 per cent rooms are already booked,” said vice-president of the Shimla Hotel and Restaurant Association Prince Kukreja.

Tourist arrival in April

2017 20,22,510

2018 18,17,591

2019 18,25,513

2020 32 (Covid year)

2021 2,21,054

Besides advance bookings, a large number of walk-in tourists, especially from Haryana, Punjab and Delhi visit Himachal during weekends, said president, Tourism Industry Stakeholders Association, MK Seth, adding that they had given suggestions to the administration and police to make their visit hassle-free.

Almost 100 per cent occupancy is expected in the coming days as Kashmir will be packed to capacity and tourists will divert to destinations in Himachal, said president, Hotel and Restaurant Association of Dharamsala, Ashwani Bamba.

The season picks up after April 15 and with heat wave going on in the plains, a large number of tourists are expected to visit Himachal during the coming summer season and the trend will start with the coming weekend, said president, Kullu Manali Paryatan Vikas Mandal, Anup Thakur.

A good season is expected this summer after two years and a lot of wayside amenities have come up for tourists. “We are giving a boost to rural tourism and promoting homestays so that the tourists could visit the unexplored remote scenic destinations at reasonable prices, said Director Tourism Amit Kashyap.

As many as 20 Shimla Traffic Volunteers have been recruited to perform three-hour traffic duty in the city to regulate traffic. They will wear fluorescent jackets and manage traffic and gain the first hand, on-field experience and be paid a daily remuneration of Rs 100 after one month. The initiative has been funded by the Transport Department, said SP, Shimla, Monika Bhatungru.

About 200 police personnel are managing traffic in the district. Besides the youngsters will be motivated to contribute towards the solution of the city problems.

20 Shimla Traffic Volunteers recruited

As many as 20 Shimla Traffic Volunteers have been recruited to perform three-hour traffic duty in the city to regulate traffic. They will wear fluorescent jackets and manage traffic and gain the first hand, on-field experience and be paid a daily remuneration of Rs100 after one month.

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