After a two-month suspension during the monsoon, paragliding activities at Bir-Billing have resumed, but the season has got off to a slow start this year due to low tourist turnout, especially fewer foreigners.
According to officials of the Billing Paragliding Association (BPA), only around 50-60 flights are being conducted daily at Bir-Billing — the world’s second-highest paragliding site — compared to hundreds at this time in a normal season. Tourist numbers remain low and the activity is yet to pick up pace.
Paragliding in Himachal is suspended every year from July 15 to September 15 to avoid mishaps due to inclement weather. This year, activities resumed at Bir-Billing on September 21.
Anurag Sharma, BPA president, said, “At this time of the year, hundreds of flights usually take place. This year, business is operating at just 20% of normal levels. Tourist numbers remain low and we are seeing very few foreigners and solo flyers.”
“The skies over Billing used to be filled with paragliders at this time of year, but now only a handful can be seen. With the festive season approaching, we hope tourist numbers will rise, which will positively impact paragliding activities,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}“The skies over Billing used to be filled with paragliders at this time of year, but now only a handful can be seen. With the festive season approaching, we hope tourist numbers will rise, which will positively impact paragliding activities,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}The sector had already been slow even before the monsoon due to reduced tourist footfall following Operation Sindoor in May.
Raj Kumar Sippy, a senior paragliding pilot with the BPA, said advance bookings — especially around Dussehra — have not come in as they used to. “Normally, there is a boom after September 15, with a large influx of tourists. We get a lot of advance bookings around the Dussehra festival but this year the situation is different,” he said.
“Since May, paragliding activity has been slow. The decline started after Operation Sindoor and businesses have not picked up since then,” he added.
Bir-Billing, renowned for its excellent thermals and breathtaking scenery, attracts thousands of paragliding enthusiasts every year. Known as the paragliding capital of India, it ranks among the top paragliding sites in the world. The second Paragliding World Cup was held here in November last year, following the first in 2015.