Hotel bookings in McLeodganj down 20% over farmers’ Punjab bandh call
On New Year's Eve, McLeodganj, the abode of the Dalai Lama and a popular tourist hub in the Kangra region, was buzzing with tourist activity. Restaurants and hotels had organised various events for the visitors, with local musical bands invited to ring in the arrival of 2025. Many of the tourists in Dharamsala and McLeodganj came from the neighbouring state of Punjab.
However, the festive atmosphere was dampened by a bandh called by farmers in Punjab yesterday. Hoteliers reported that the bandh, which disrupted traffic movement, led to a 20 per cent cancellation of hotel bookings in the region. Ashwani Bamba, president of the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Kangra, told The Tribune that the bandh caused vehicle movement to come to a standstill in Punjab, preventing people from reaching their destinations and resulting in booking cancellations. As a result, hotel occupancy, which had been expected to reach about 80 per cent on the New Year’s Eve, dropped to around 50 to 60 per cent.
In response to the anticipated traffic congestion due to the celebrations, the Kangra police have implemented a special traffic plan for the McLeodganj area. Kangra SP Shallini Agnihotri announced that all vehicles will enter McLeodganj via the Dal Lake-McLeodganj road and return through the McLeodganj-Forythganj oad. Two-way traffic will be permitted on the McLeodganj- Bhagsunag and McLeodganj-Dharamkot roads. Vehicles entering McLeodganj from the Khara Danda road will do so via the Jogibara road and return via the Dalai Lama temple road.
Meanwhile, hotels and restaurants in the lower Himachal region are also prepared for the New Year’s Eve celebrations. In addition to Dharamsala, many tourists flocked to the Bir area, known for paragliding, to ring in the New Year.
