Hotel occupancy up as Shimla gets fresh snow

Strap: Tourists make beeline for state capital, its suburbs; homestay owners too expecting brisk biz

Quotes

‘All arrangements in place’

“All arrangements have been made for parking, smooth vehicular movement and snow-clearing. Police personnel and heavy machinery have been deployed at key locations to keep inconvenience at bay.” Amit Kashyap, Shimla DC

‘Expecting white Christmas’

“Shimla may witness more snow. The occupancy in hotels has increased to over 70 per cent. Bookings for Christmas and New Year’s Eve are being made. We are hopeful of a white Christmas this time.” Sanjay Sood, president, Shimla Hotel and Restaurant Association

Kuldeep Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, December 13

Fresh snowfall in the state capital,Kufri, Fagu, Narkanda and Kotgarh today came as a windfall for hoteliers. The occupancy in hotels and homestays has seen an increase in the last 24 hours.

Those from Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and Hyderabad are making a beeline for the hill station. One can also see foreigners having a whale of a time in the city.

“We had never thought that we would get to see snow on our trip. It has come as a pleasant surprise,” said Delhi’s Ritvik and Avantika, who are staying in Kufri.

It seemed as if all roads led to Kufri and Fagu. “Snow has always been an attraction for tourists. Cool climes of Kufri, Fagu and Narkanda are a delight. Hotels too are offering attractive packages,” said Sanjay Sood, president, Shimla Hotel and Restaurant Association.

“Shimla may witness more snow. The occupancy in hotels has increased to over 70 per cent,” he said.

Bookings for Christmas and New Year’s Eve are being made. “We are hopeful of a white Christmas this time,” Sanjay Sood said.

Shimla DC Amit Kashyap said: “All arrangements have been made for parking, smooth vehicular movement and snow-clearing. Police personnel and heavy machinery have been deployed at key locations to keep inconvenience at bay.”

Even homestays on the periphery of Kufri, Fagu, Theog, Narkanda, Kotgarh and Thanedhar are getting a lot of queries regarding the bookings for Christmas and New Year’s Eve,” said Vinay Sirckek, who runs a homestay in an orchard in Kotgarh, 80 km from Shimla.

The Atal Bihari Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports, which runs its unit in Narkanda and the HPTDC are ready with their ski courses for amateurs at the ski resort of Narkanda. “The duration of the courses is 15 days,” said an HPTDC manager.