The tourism sector in Himachal Pradesh suffered losses of about Rs 2,000 crore in July and August. This was due to heavy rains damaging road infrastructure and limiting air and rail connectivity. The tourism industry in the hill state contributes over Rs 14,000 crore annually to Himachal Pradesh’s GDP. Hoteliers in the state are now offering attractive packages to recover from these losses.
Amit Kashyap, managing director of Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC), mentioned that the only positive aspect amidst the losses was the influx of devotees visiting six Shakti Peeths in Una, Bilaspur, and Kangra districts. During the Navratri from August 17 to 25, around 8.24 lakh pilgrims visited Chintpurni, Sri Naina Devi, Jawalaji, Brajeshwari, Sri Baglamukhi, and Chamunda Devi shrines.
Before the monsoon season, there was a significant increase in tourist arrivals in Himachal Pradesh. From January to June 2023, 1.06 crore tourists visited the state, compared to 86.4 lakh in the same period in 2022. However, the monsoon weather negatively impacted tourism.
M K Seth, president of the Shimla Hotels and Tourism Stakeholders Association, stated that roads to Shimla are now open and the tourism industry is offering attractive packages with discounts ranging from 40 to 50 percent. Seth expressed hope that the public holiday in New Delhi from September 8 to 10 for the G20 Summit could help boost tourism. He mentioned that despite the challenges, the situation is not as bad as portrayed in the news. Hotel rates are discounted and traffic is less than usual. Seth expects an improvement in October.
