Snowfall Prediction, Atithi Devo Bhava: Shimla’s 40-year decline in hotel occupancy proved that nothing worked for the town

This year, hotels in Shimla achieved 50–60% occupancy, which is “the lowest in the last 40 years,” indicating that neither the Himachal government’s strategies nor the local climate had any effect on visitors.

In the most recent New Year, Shimla had almost 80% of its capacity occupied. Hoteliers and other related businesses were anticipating a similar scenario and were hoping for a “white New Year,” but the likelihood of snowfall is not particularly high.

The well-known eateries on Mall Road and the Ridge waded into the sea of visitors who came for the winter carnival, which transformed the area into a fantasy kingdom filled with lights and cultural events.

MK Seth, President of the Shimla Hotel and Tourism Stakeholders Association, noted that visitors to these establishments did not always transfer into hotel room occupancy.

Speaking to news agency PTI, he said that even during the Covid-19 Pandemic, there was a greater New Year’s visitor surge. The occupancy rate of 50–60% this year is the lowest in the recent 40 years, he added.

Authorities have been instructed to follow “Atithi Devo Bhava” and create plans so that visitors may have a hassle-free and tranquil stay, according to Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.

Apart from permitting eating establishments and pan merchants to operate over the clock, Sukhu reportedly gave police instructions not to detain inebriated visitors. Instead, the police would drop off the visitors at their hotels so as not to interfere with anyone’s New Year’s celebrations.

Seth did point out that the sales of licensed hotels, vacation rentals, and other lodging are being replaced by unregistered tourist businesses.

He went on to say that unlicensed salespeople “capture” travelers arriving by luxury coach and train and steer them into unlicensed lodgings.

“Given the favorable conditions, we are taken aback by the notable decline in the number of visitors.” The stakeholders association’s vice president, Prince Kukreja, said, “This is the lowest occupancy in my living memory.”

According to Shishu, a local hotelier, most visitors like solitary stays in the suburbs among serenity, nature, and forests. He continued by saying that those who wish to organize private events leave the city.

The major town’s hotels, which are often full at this time of year, are not completely booked.

According to SP (Shimla) Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi, around 7,600 tourist cars entered Shimla over the Shoghi barrier on the Shimla-Chandigarh Road between Saturday morning and Sunday afternoon.

Stakeholders in tourism said that unwarranted exposure about traffic congestion on social media and other platforms caused travelers to rethink their travel plans.

A new Western Disturbance lay over the Himalayan region over the weekend, bringing with it the possibility of snowfall and rainfall in isolated areas of high-to-mid hill ranges, according to the local meteorological bureau. Important tourist destinations, nevertheless, had no snowfall in the area.