Himachal news: Hill state hospitality sector braces for tougher times

Hospitality sector leaders in Shimla have welcomed tourists to the hills, saying all was well.

The Shimla Hotel and Tourism Stakeholders Association, in a statement on Saturday, assured travellers to Himachal of continued services during the upcoming season. The move sought to dispel doubts that many people may have about the preparedness of the tourism industry to host them in the upcoming season amid commercial LPG shortage.

Hoteliers here said the sector was resilient, but a prolonged conflict could mean trouble ahead of the peak summer season starting mid-April. They added that the current occupancy was at 30 to 40 per cent, which is normal for March. “Hopefully, the situation will normalize soon, says Ashwani Sood, a hotelier from Shimla.

In Manali, Roshan Thakur, chief of Manali Hoteliers Association, reported an occupancy of 50 per cent, saying booking cancellations or footfall drops had not begun yet. However, some hoteliers reported cancellations in Dharamsala.

Jagdish Sharma, District Tourism Officer in Shimla, said international tourist flux had been hit but domestic tourists were coming. Meanwhile, home stays are feeling the heat with March arrivals lower than last year.

As there are no signs of easing tensions in West Asia, hoteliers have started switching to alternate fuels and installed commercial induction cooktops, hot plates, electric fryers, low-noise diesel-powered bhattis and electric tea and coffee dispensers in kitchens as they are hoping to minimise the impact on their businesses during the peak season.

Mohinder Seth, president, Shimla Hotel and Tourism Stakeholders Association, said many outlets had designed special menus limited to Indian and Chinese dishes.