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It’s raining discounts as Himachal’s tourism industry struggles for revival
Hotel industry hopes to tide over worst crisis since pandemic by offering 50% discount in room bookings, while travel agents roll out 30% cut on tour packages
After floods and landslides over the past two months hit its pivotal tourism industry, Himachal Pradesh is taking steps to welcome tourists by rolling out discounts.
With hotel occupancy hitting an all-time low, the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) hopes to tide over its challenges by offering 50% discount in room bookings in its hotels. “This offer is available till September 15 and is an attractive option for those seeking a late summer or early autumn getaway,” tourism director Amit Kashyap said on Saturday.
Also read: Himachal: Kinnaur cut off from Shimla after major landslide
Private hotels in the state are also offering discounts ranging from 30% to 50% on room bookings. Certain upscale establishments are going the extra mile by providing a free third night for a two-night stay or complimentary breakfast and dinner for guests who book a room.
Gajendra Singh Thakur, the president of the Federation of Himachal Hotel and Restaurants Association, said the discounts were aimed at reviving the ₹2,000-crore tourism industry after the setback due to the unprecedented spells of heavy rain this monsoon that destroyed the state’s infrastructure, including roads and buildings. The state was declared a natural calamity affected area after the damage it underwent in July and August. This has been a trying time for the industry after it barely recovered from the Covid-19 pandemic losses.
The Travel Agents Association of Himachal Pradesh has announced discounts of 25% to 30% on tour packages. It has waived charges for children up to 12 years accompanying their parents on these trips. It hopes the gesture will resonate with families planning a vacation in the hills.
Taxi operators in the region are also providing free pick-up and drop-off services to hotels for tourists who book sightseeing packages. Rajendra Thakur, the chairman of the All Himachal Commercial Vehicle Joint Action Committee, said: “Even at the tourist spots, visitors are being treated to discounts.”
Chief minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu took to social media recently to invite tourists to the state and assure them of a pocket-friendly holiday. Manu Sood, the general secretary of the Travel Agents Association, said that hotel enquiries and booking of tour packages had seen a surge.
