Tourists throng Himachal hill stations to beat the heat

Tourists particularly from the northern Indian plains are visiting the hill stations in Himachal to seek relief from the sweltering heat. The tourist rush has increased in the state capital Shimla and its surrounding regions, while the influx is high in the other popular hill stations

With campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections reaching crescendo, tourists particularly from the northern Indian plains are visiting the hill stations to seek relief from the sweltering heat. The tourist rush has increased in the state capital Shimla and its surrounding regions, while the influx is high in the other popular hill stations.

With campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections reaching crescendo, tourists particularly from the northern Indian plains are visiting the hill stations to seek relief from the sweltering heat. The tourist rush has increased in the state capital Shimla and its surrounding regions, while the influx is high in the other popular hill stations. (HT File)

The hotel occupancy has increased to 70% in the hill stations. The tourist footfall, which begins to increase in April and peaks in June, remained low in the first week of May due to the electioneering but the heatwave compelled the visitors to rush to the hills. The tourist rush has increased in Shimla, Manali, Dalhousie, Kullu, Chail, Kasauli and Narkanda. Tourists from northern India, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, and parts of Uttarakhand are thronging Himachal Pradesh. The occupancy has increased in Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC)-owned hotels “Our hotels in key places are getting advanced bookings nowadays,” said general manager, HPTDC, Anil Taneja.

“Delhi is sizzling. It was 15th May when Delhi recorded the highest temperature 49 degrees. My family is here for the last three days “said Ranjit Singh a tourist from Delhi who has booked two rooms in Shoghi in the vicinity of Shimla.

“We expect more tourists in the coming days. The hotel industry is hopeful to have good occupancy in June after the Lok Sabha elections. Schools and colleges have summer vacations and employees on election duty will be free,” said Mohinder Seth, president of Himachal Hoteliers and Stakeholder Association.

“Tourists visit the hills all around the year. Road accessibility and better road conditions will give a boost to tourism even in the rural and unexplored regions,” president of the Federation of Himachal Hotels and Restaurant Associations Gajender Thakur said.