Kullu-Manali bounces back: Winter hope dawns after tough monsoon

After an unusually harsh monsoon season that caused extensive damage to road infrastructure across Mandi and Kullu districts, tourism stakeholders in Kullu-Manali are now looking forward to a strong revival in visitor numbers with the onset of winter. The monsoon-triggered landslides, road blockages and travel disruptions significantly reduced tourist inflow during peak months, resulting in one of the leanest seasons in recent years for the region, which heavily relies on tourism.

Official figures for 2025 highlight the overall tourist movement to the region, revealing a total of 20,48,584 Indian and 7,923 foreign tourists visiting during the first nine months. While the early months of the year performed fairly well with January (2,85,266 Indians; 689 foreigners), February (2,37,272; 773) and March (2,65,388; 831) maintaining steady numbers, the situation improved further in April and May, which recorded 3,17,840 and 3,37,181 domestic tourists respectively.

Winter breathes new life

• A bruising monsoon may have silenced the valley's rhythm, but winter is scripting a turnaround in Kullu-Manali. As fresh snow dusts the mountains and roads regain their smooth pulse, travellers are returning with renewed trust
• Hoteliers report rising weekend rush, adventure operators are gearing up with ski runs and snow trails and festive-season buzz is building fast. After months of near-standstill, the valley finally smells of revival
• If the weather holds steady and connectivity stays firm, the coming weeks could restore both confidence and livelihood, ushering in a winter that heals what the monsoon broke

However, the biggest spike came in June with 4,92,533 Indian tourists, typically marking the pre-monsoon rush. But soon after, tourist numbers dropped drastically. In July, only 72,670 Indian tourists arrived, followed by a dramatic fall in August with just 28,196 visitors. September recorded the lowest inflow of the year at a mere 12,238 Indian tourists. Stakeholders attribute this steep decline directly to heavy rains, unprecedented road damage and safety concerns that kept travellers away.

With the weather now turning favourable and fresh snowfall already reported in higher reaches, tourism operators, hoteliers and adventure activity providers in Manali are optimistic about a surge in tourist arrivals. Hotel owners say that weekend occupancy has already crossed the 50 per cent mark, signalling the beginning of a recovery phase. They believe that as winter tourism picks up, particularly with the Christmas-New Year holiday season approaching, footfall is likely to rise sharply.

Anup Thakur, president of Kullu-Manali Paryatan Vikas Mandal said “improved road condition of Chandigarh-Manali highway is giving travellers renewed confidence. Local businesses, from hoteliers to taxi operators, are preparing for higher demand, offering winter packages, adventure sports activities like skiing and snowboarding and promotional discounts to attract visitors.

Tourism experts say that if weather conditions remain stable and infrastructure continues to improve, the Kullu-Manali could witness a healthy rebound, helping compensate for the heavy losses incurred during the disrupted monsoon season. The coming weeks are expected to set the tone for a stronger winter tourism cycle, bringing much-needed relief to the region’s economy.