Weekend Tourism Picks Up Pace in Himachal Pradesh, Tourist Spots Bustling with Visitors
Weekend tourism has gained momentum in Himachal Pradesh, with a large number of tourists from Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, as well as Gujarat and Maharashtra flocking to the state’s popular destinations. Over the past two weekends, hotel occupancy has crossed 50% in Shimla and Manali, while Chail and Kasauli are reporting up to 70% occupancy. Luxury hotels in Shimla, Kufri, Manali, Kasauli, and Chail have already started accepting advance bookings for Christmas and New Year.
The rise in tourist numbers in Shimla has also boosted footfall in nearby destinations. On weekends, places like Kufri, Mashobra, Charabra, Naldehra, and Narkanda are witnessing large crowds. The Ridge and Mall Road in Shimla remain bustling on Saturdays and Sundays. Kaku Thakur, operator of Explore Expert Adventure, Kufri, said that the number of tourists has been increasing over the past two weeks.
Manali has also seen a surge in tourists in the last two weeks. Over 150 Volvo buses bring visitors to Manali on weekends, who then head to destinations like Atal Tunnel, Rohtang, and Sissu. Sunny Sharma, a hotelier from Taragarh Palace, Manali, stated that attractive packages are being prepared for Christmas and New Year to draw more tourists.
The increase in tourist vehicles in Shimla and Kasauli on weekends is causing traffic jams. Meanwhile, hoteliers in Dharamshala and McLeod Ganj are still hoping for road conditions to improve. Ashwani Bamba, President of Dharamshala Hotelier Association, said that once the roads improve, tourist numbers are expected to rise further.
Gajendra Singh Thakur, President of the Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations, added that good snowfall is expected in December, and record numbers of tourists are likely to visit Himachal Pradesh during Christmas and New Year celebrations.
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