Tourists cancel Kashmir bookings, shift to Himachal after Pahalgam attack fallout
Ashwani Bamba, president of the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Kangra, told TNIE that, after the terror attack, tour operators and potential tourists inquired for booking in Himachal and Uttarakhand and that they expected the surge to be significant.
"But, actually only 15-20% of tourists shifted from J&K to Himachal and the rest probably prefer to not venture out during this summer season owing to the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan. Thus, the occupancy of hotels across the state at present is around 40% only, the same as last year. Bookings that were shifted were that of tourist groups traveling from Maharashtra, Gujarat and other states, not the immediate bookings in Kashmir which had gotten cancelled," he said.
Bamba added that, in Himachal, Manali had the maximum number of shifted bookings at about 20%, while Dharamsala, Dalhousir and Shimla had much fewer. He said that advance bookings had already been made for the IPL matches in Dharamsala.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Indian Express
15 hours ago
- New Indian Express
Visit to Western Ghats may soon require e-pass
BENGALURU: In a bid to manage tourism sustainably and protect the Western Ghats, several popular tourist destinations, including Ooty and Kodaikanal, are now considering the adoption of a green pass or e-pass. A detailed carrying capacity study is also being undertaken to ensure there is no further damage to the Western Ghats, similar to what happened in Uttarakhand and other Himalayan regions. The Western Ghats Task Force Committee (WGTFC) was entrusted with the task of undertaking the carrying capacity study of the Ghats. In a recently submitted assessment report, the committee has suggested the introduction of a pass to popular tourist destinations in 10 districts of Karnataka, mainly Kodagu, Hassan, Sakleshpur, Shivamogga, Mangaluru, Uttara Kannada and Belagavi. Citing the example of Kodagu, forest and district administration officials said there are many roads leading to multiple homestays and resorts. All roads cannot be barricaded and checked, whereas in Ooty and Kodaikanal, it is much easier as roads to the two places are defined. 'Regulation is needed. The number of visitors to Kodagu is on the rise, and crowd management is becoming difficult. Restrictions are in place on trekking routes with the introduction of a registration process, but not for all places,' said a Kodagu district administration official. 'The report is before the government. The opinion of all stakeholders will be taken. The introduction of e-pass will regulate tourism, control illegal activities, help in crowd management and safety,' WGTFC chairman Mohammad Tabrez Shariff told TNIE. 'A balance between development and conservation needs to be drawn. Landslides are not limited to the Himalayan regions. There have been multiple incidents in South India also,' another committee member said.
New Indian Express
3 days ago
- New Indian Express
Tourism takes off: Long weekend promises strong gains for the industry
NEW DELHI: India's travel and hospitality sector is set for a strong upswing this long weekend, with early trends indicating that travellers are heading to popular destinations in large numbers. The absence of steep hikes in airfares and room rates is further encouraging many to make last-minute travel plans. "Long weekends have always been a popular reason for travel among travellers, and the window between Independence Day and Raksha Bandhan is no exception,' Manjari Singhal, Chief Growth and Business Officer, Cleartrip told TNIE. He added, 'Leisure travel has seen a significant increase following recent geopolitical developments, with rising interest in monsoon retreats, spiritual journeys, and wellness-focused getaways as travellers seek more meaningful experiences.' As per Cleartrip's travel trends tracker, PeekABoo, airfares between metro cities and popular tourist destinations are averaging between Rs 6000 - Rs 7000, holding steady with no major increase. Hotel rates, however, are averaging Rs 5000 - Rs 6000 which is higher than last year. Rajesh Magow, Co-founder and Group CEO of MakeMyTrip said that Independence Day has emerged as a key travel occasion over the years and this year too, the search and booking trends point to strong intent to travel over the weekend. 'With Independence Day on a Friday, travel demand, appears to be peaking two days earlier, on Wednesday, 13th August, giving early travellers a five-day window,' stated Magow. According to the country's largest online travel platform, Goa, Udaipur, Coorg, Mahabaleshwar, Ooty, and Pondicherry are some of the most trending domestic cities. International destinations such as Pattaya, Bali, Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, Zurich and London are in high demand,
New Indian Express
6 days ago
- New Indian Express
Tamil diaspora touring TN make Madurai pit stop, visit Keezhadi
MADURAI: The members of the Tamil diaspora touring the state as part of the Tamil Nadu government's 'Verkalai Thedi' (reaching out to the roots) programme on Sunday visited places like Thirumalai Nayakar Mahal in Madurai and also interacted with the district collector. Collector KJ Praveen Kumar briefed the visitors, numbering around 100 non-resident Tamil youths, on the historical and culturally important places in the district with a slideshow presentation. He also touched upon local food delicacies and products like the sungudi saree. Following this, the visitors toured the Thirumalai Nayakar Mahal as well as the Keezhadi onsite museum. One of the visitors, Mathangi Sachithanatham(29), who works in a pharmaceutical company in Canada, told TNIE that the artefacts unearthed during the Keezhadi excavation made her aware of the origins of Tamils. 'It is my first visit to Tamil Nadu. But I would like to visit these places again with my family,' she added. 'I am excited to experience the culture and heritage of Tamil Nadu. The most inspiring thing about Tamil Nadu is the hospitality and the food,' said Jessie(22) who is pursuing BSc in Marine Biology in South Africa. While tracing his family origins to Thanjavur, Dr Kavinesh Kumar(27), who is a medical officer in Fiji, said the past six generations have, however, called the island country 'home'. Visiting my native country is a good experience and a great opportunity, Dr Kumar added. On Monday the visitors are likely to be taken to the Meenakshi Amman temple in Madurai before leaving for Kanniyakumari. The tourism, revenue and police departments have made elaborate arrangements for the visitors, who commenced the tour from Chennai on August 1. Their tour will conclude on August 15.
