With the withdrawal of monsoon, and resumption of luxury bus services to Manali after a hiatus, tourism stakeholders are hopeful of a revival as tourists have begin to trickle in after the seasonal slump.
Albeit a slow start, hoteliers expect the tourist footfall to increase in October in the hill town, which sat silent for more than a month. The movement of buses was restored after more than a month, as the Chandigarh–Manali national highway had suffered extensive damage at several stretches due to the overflowing Beas river and landslides triggered by heavy monsoon rains.
The inclement weather and the closure of the highway had dealt a severe blow to the hospitality industry. The hotel occupancy, which had dropped to nearly zero in September, is now expected to see a slight increase during the festive season. The hotel occupancy had been dropping since July after the onset of monsoon in Himachal.
Kullu-Manali Paryatan Vikas Mandal chief Anup Thakur said they are hopeful about the revival of tourism. “With the resumption of bus services, we are seeing tourists gradually returning. Although the pace is still slow, we expect more visitors in the coming days. After two months of silence, the buzz is beginning to return to Manali.”
“Hotel occupancy, which was almost zero in September, has now risen to around 15% and is expected to reach 40–50% by early October. With Volvo buses back on the road, most tourists are relying on them for travel. Until the roads are fully restored, buses will remain the main mode of transport for visitors,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}“Hotel occupancy, which was almost zero in September, has now risen to around 15% and is expected to reach 40–50% by early October. With Volvo buses back on the road, most tourists are relying on them for travel. Until the roads are fully restored, buses will remain the main mode of transport for visitors,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}With no rail or air connectivity to Kullu–Manali, the highway remains the region’s lifeline, and luxury coaches play a pivotal role in sustaining tourism. Their resumption after nearly 34 days signals a revival. As occupancy levels are still low, hoteliers are offering discounts to attract more visitors during the festive season and reignite the tourist cycle before winter sets in.
Chairman of the HP travel agents’ association, Manali, Budhi Parkash Thakur said the double-lane road has been temporarily restored from Kullu to Manali, except at one point. “Most Volvo buses are currently reaching up to Raison, though some have started arriving in Manali as well. After months of slowdown, tourists have started to trickle in. On Tuesday, around 20 Volvo buses arrived. Tourists are also coming in tempo travellers and taxis, and we have begun receiving bookings. Hotel occupancy has started to rise, and we expect it to increase further in the coming days.”