Cricket: Weather casts shadow over India-England Test in Dharamsala
Lalit Mohan
Dharamsala, March 5
The India-England Test scheduled to be played at cricket stadium here from March 7 has given boost to tourism in Dharamsala. Sources here said hotels in lower Dharamsala area, especially those near the international cricket stadium, have reported about 60 to 65 per cent occupancy. The hoteliers are expecting that tourist footfall is likely to increase with walk-in tourists coming to watch match at the weekend.
Ashwani Bamba, president of hotel and restaurant association of Kangra, said hundreds of officials of the BCCI and the ICC have come to Dharamsala for the match. They have booked hotels in the vicinity of international cricket stadium in lower Dharamsala. “We are expecting that on the weekend many spectators would come for match and hotel occupancy would increase in upper areas of Dharamsala also,” he said.
Sanjeev Gandhi, general secretary of the Smart City Dharamsala Hotel and Restaurant Association, said that till date not many spectators had shown interest in the match. In upper Dharamsala areas which includes McLeodganj, Dharamkot, Naddi and Bhagsunag areas not many bookings have been received for the Test match. “However, we are hoping that many youngsters would come for the match and hotel occupancy would increase at the weekend,” he said.
Neeraj Sharma, another hotelier, said that international cricket stadium has given boost to tourism in Dharamsala region. An international cricket match attracts tourists. Besides, the area itself is promoted at the international level. “However, to take full benefit of international cricket matches hosted here, the government should improve connectivity to the area for which expansion of Gaggal airport was badly needed.
Unpredictable rains of Dharamsala region have, however, cast a shadow over the match scheduled to continue till March 11.
Meanwhile, England team today practised at Dharamsala international cricket stadium. Indian captain Rohit Sharma arrived here in a private helicopter and landed at SAI ground right along the Dharamsala international cricket stadium. The fans who had gathered there cheered the Indian captain.
The Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) has priced tickets for local youth at Rs 100 per day to lure them for the Test.
