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Hindustan Times
11-07-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Travel and Trade Fair Kolkata 2025: Dharamshala hotel body leads Himachal's representation
The Hotel and Restaurant Association, Dharamshala has taken the lead to ensure the representation of the state's tourism industry at the Travel and Trade Fair (TTF) Kolkata 2025. The association has also urged the Himachal Pradesh government to resume participation in future trade shows and tourism expos. (File) Travel and Trade Fairs (TTFs) are held throughout the year across various cities in India, serving as important platforms for tourism promotion and industry networking. 'Himachal Pradesh Tourism has traditionally participated in these fairs — including the prestigious TTF Kolkata — with enthusiastic representation from hoteliers and tourism stakeholders across the state. This year, however, the Himachal Pradesh government has opted not to participate in TTF Kolkata 2025. In response, the Hotel and Restaurant Association, Dharamshala has taken the lead to ensure that the state's tourism industry continues to have a strong presence,' the association said. The association has also urged the Himachal Pradesh government to resume participation in future trade shows and tourism expos. Ashwani Bamba, president of Dharamshala's Hotel and Restaurant Association, said, 'Government support is crucial to the continued promotion of quality tourism, and the integration of digital marketing strategies that effectively showcase Himachal's offerings to a wider audience,' the association said.
Hindustan Times
08-06-2025
- Hindustan Times
After lean start in May, tourist footfall sees rise in Himachal
After witnessing a slowdown in tourist footfall last month due to the escalation of hostilities between India and Pakistan, Himachal Pradesh has seen a significant increase in tourist arrivals so far in June. The hotel occupancy has also risen in the first week of June, and hoteliers in the hill state are hopeful that the footfall will further increase in the coming weeks. In May, the tourism industry in Himachal suffered losses as many tourists cancelled their bookings amid uncertainty. Tourism stakeholders said that people were hesitant to travel due to the prevailing situation at the time. The closure of airports further restricted movement, adversely affecting tourism in the state. Shimla hotels and tourism stakeholders' association president Mohinder Kumar Seth said that the recent long weekend, due to Eid, helped boost tourism, with hotel occupancy in Shimla reaching around 80–90%. 'The first week of June was better from a tourism perspective compared to the previous month, with occupancy touching up to 50% during weekdays. Last month, there was a steep decline in tourist footfall, and hotel occupancy was only around 20%, leading to significant losses for hoteliers,' he said. 'Since hotels are usually almost fully booked during June, we are expecting occupancy to rise further in the coming weeks, judging by the trend in the first week,' he added. Due to the sharp decline in tourist arrivals last month, hoteliers in Dharamshala even offered discounts on bookings. Traditionally, the peak tourism season in Himachal begins around May 21. However, this year, hotel occupancy in Dharamshala dropped significantly in May, remaining at around 30%. Ashwani Bamba, president of Hotel and Restaurant Association, Dharamshala, said that the average hotel occupancy on this weekend was around 80% in Dharamshala and on weekdays it reached to around 50-55%. 'As the temperature in plains is increasing and summer vacations announced in Punjab schools, we expect that the hotel occupancy in Himachal will hover around 75% in coming days till the arrival of monsoon in the state,' he said. Meanwhile, Manali in Kullu district has also seen a surge in the number of tourists in recent days. Anup Thakur, president of the Kullu-Manali Paryatan Vikas Mandal, said that the hotel occupancy which had plummeted during May has gone up now. At present, the occupancy is around 70% and we are hoping that it is further increased in coming weeks. Mostly, the tourists visiting are from neighboring states but there are some tourists from other states as well,' he said.
Hindustan Times
23-05-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Tourist footfall dips, hoteliers offer 20% discount in Dharamshala
In the wake of a sharp decline in tourism after India-Pakistan tension post Operation Sindoor, hoteliers in Dharamshala have announced a 20% discount to attract visitors back to the region. The Hotel and Restaurant Association, Dharamshala, while condemning the Pahalgam (J&K) attack, said the act of violence raised concerns among travellers across the country and abroad. 'We want to assure all tourists that Dharamshala and the entire Himachal region remain completely peaceful and safe,' said Ashwani Bamba, president of Hotel and Restaurant Association, Dharamshala. Hoteliers in Dharamshala said that a wave of cancellations was seen following the recent escalation in hostilities between India and Pakistan. Traditionally, the peak tourism season in Himachal Pradesh begins around May 21. However, this year, hotel occupancy has plummeted and remains at around 30% currently, as many tourists remain apprehensive about traveling amid the prevailing tensions. 'This is typically the time of year when hotels are fully booked,' said a representative of the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Dharamshala. 'But due to the current situation, we are seeing an unusually low tourist footfall.' 'We urge tourists not to cancel or postpone their bookings,' the association said. As bookings begin to recover, hoteliers in Dharamshala reported a hotel occupancy of 40% last Saturday. They anticipate occupancy to remain between 40–45% through the remaining days of May, with expectations that it could rise to over 70% by June.
Time of India
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
J&K police raids 13 locations in Doda following Pahalgam terror attack
J&K police raids 13 locations in Doda NEW DELHI: On Monday morning, Jammu and Kashmir police conducted raids at 13 locations across the Doda district in a bid to dismantle terrorist hideouts and take action against individuals connected to terror activities. The raids come in the wake of the deadly Pahalgam terror attack , which claimed the lives of 26 people, including a Nepalese national, and left many others injured. This attack has heightened security concerns across the region. Previously, the Srinagar Police had carried out extensive searches at multiple locations in the city, targeting the residences of Over Ground Workers (OGWs) and associates of banned terrorist outfits. These searches were conducted as part of ongoing investigations related to cases under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). In total, Srinagar Police searched the homes of 63 individuals, adhering to legal procedures and conducting the operations in the presence of Executive Magistrates and independent witnesses. The aim was to seize weapons, documents, and digital devices for evidence collection and intelligence gathering to prevent further terrorist activities. Meanwhile, the impact of the Pahalgam attack has been felt in the local economy. Rakesh Wazir, president of the Hotel and Restaurant Association in Katra, reported that the attack has led to a significant decline in tourism. "Approximately 35 to 37 percent of bookings have been canceled, and the number of pilgrims for the yatra has dropped from 45,000 to just 20,000 to 22,000," Wazir told ANI. The nation continues to mourn the tragic loss of 26 lives, gunned down by terrorists at Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam on April 22. The attack has led to heightened security measures and diplomatic responses amid ongoing tensions between neighboring countries.
