Tourism in Shimla Slumps, say local stakeholders
Old photo. Used for indicative purpose only
Shimla, Oct 14,
The picturesque hill station of Shimla is witnessing a significant decline in tourist arrivals this year, particularly during the peak festive season. Mohinder Seth, president of the Shimla Hotels and Tourism Stakeholders Association in a media statement pointed to several factors, including recent communal tensions in the city and state, which he believes may have discouraged visitors.
He further revealed that hotel occupancy in Shimla has dropped to below 10%, with little hope for improvement in the coming weeks. Bengali tourists, who usually visit the city around Dussehra and use Shimla as a stopover en-route to Kinnaur, have shown a significant decline in numbers this season. “The roads leading to Kinnaur have been affected by frequent landslides, which may have also caused tourists to cancel or avoid their trips altogether,” Seth said.
Neeraj Gupta, owner of Achhman regency hotel, echoed similar sentiments, noting a lack of fresh bookings from Bengal and Gujarat. Charu Malhotra, another hotel owner, confirmed that the festive season has been particularly disappointing. Even the usually busy weekend tourism has witnessed a decline as more visitors opt for nearby Kasauli.
A transporter, Kaku Bali, observed a significant decrease in the number of Bengali tourists arriving in Shimla this year.
In addition to the impact on Bengali tourists, there has also been a noticeable drop in inquiries from other regions, such as Mumbai and Gujarat, despite the onset of the festive season. “When I reached out to major travel agents in these regions, they reported that there were no bookings not only for Himachal Pradesh but even for destinations like Kashmir,” added Mohinder Seth .
In the media statement Seth expressed concern about the Diwali season as well, noting a lack of tourist interest from Gujarat, a state known for its travel around the festival.
The association also observed a decline in weekend tourism in Shimla in recent years, as more tourists are now opting for nearby Kasauli. “Over the past decade, Shimla has struggled with traffic and accessibility issues, which deterred weekend visitors. Although the situation has improved, it will take a considerable effort from the government and local authorities to rebuild the confidence of tourists to return to the city,” Seth concluded.
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Still they ask for high prices in hotels.. And aren’t ready to negotiate