After lull, Kullu sees increase in tourist influx

Dipender Manta

Tribune News Service

Mandi, September 19

Kullu district has witnessed a slight increase in tourist influx after a lull, thanks to a long spell of rain in the region. River rafting and paragliding, major attractions among tourists which were banned since July 15, also resumed on Sunday.

Hoteliers of Kullu-Manali are expecting a considerable increase in tourist footfall in the coming days. According to information, occupancy in hotels has witnessed an increase of up to 40 per cent from five per cent in the past few months.

Since July, there was a sharp decline in tourist arrivals in Kullu district due to bad weather conditions. The poor condition of the Chandigarh-Manali highway and frequent landslides between Pandoh and Kullu had further added to the woes as commuters were afraid of driving on the stretches.

Anup Thakur, president of the Hoteliers’ Association, Kullu-Manali, said, “Pleasant weather conditions have provided a much-needed relief to the tourism industry. The last one week has seen a significant increase in occupancy in hotels. During the monsoon, it had come down to up to 5 per cent.”

“We urge tourists to visit Kullu-Manali as the weather is pleasant now,” he added.

Those running paragliding and river rafting operations are also happy with the resumption of their business. There are more than 500 families in Kullu district whose livelihood is dependent on it.