Absence of snowfall in Himachal hits homestay establishments hard

Nearly 4000 homestay units exist in state on record

The Newz Radar

Shimla: Those providing board and lodging to tourists in their homestays in Shimla are a troubled lot.
Snowfall, which draws tourists to Himachal Pradesh in winter, is missing. With tourists not making a beeline for Himachal to enjoy playing around in the snow, it is not just the hoteliers who are glum. Those operating the nearly 4000 homestay establishments on record in Himachal are equally worried.
The operators of homestays that are situated on the outskirts of the tourist towns are facing the brunt more because the few tourists who are reaching the tourist towns are opting for hotels in the market areas of the towns.
Sunil Bansal, who runs the Gadegal Homestay in Shilaru area of Shimla district told The Newz Radar that business has been down since monsoon. The tourist drought continues this winter because there has been almost no snowfall even in January.
Bansal said that the tourists are preferring destinations in Kashmir and Uttarakhand. To make matters worse travel agents from other states are boycotting Himachal because of the hike announced by the Himachal government in their taxes. Usually, tourists from Gujarat and West Bengal used to visit destinations in Himachal in September and November, but this time they gave it a miss, Bansal said adding that whatever hopes were left were dashed by the absence of snowfall.
The few times there was snowfall in the higher reaches of the state tourists did make a beeline for Himachal and homestays did record an occupancy of 60 to 70 per cent. Surprisingly there was no snowfall even in places like Hatoo Peak in Narkanda, he said adding that business has literally come to a grinding halt.
Sunil Verma, running the Basa Palace Homestay in Theog, is also feeling the pinch and said that business is down in the dumps. In winter it is the snowfall that attracts tourists, he said adding that with destinations like Kaza also not witnessing any snowfall the homestay business was bound to take a hit in places like Theog which is a halting station for those heading to Kaza in Spiti.
Verma said that there were a few bookings for New Year’s Eve but after that, January 2024 has been disappointing.
Homestays in places like Kufri and Fagu are primarily dependent on snowfall to ensure occupancy. This time around December 2023 and January 2024 have proved to be bad for business according to Himanshu Sharma, who runs the Dev Bhoomi Homestay in Bhekhalti. Last year the floods and landslides in Himachal kept the tourists away. A hike in taxes on tourist vehicles from other states is also proving to be a drawback for tourist destinations here, Sharma said. The tour operators are encouraging travel to Uttarakhand and Kashmir, he added. Prospective tourists do get in touch but only to inquire about the chances of snowfall, Sharma said.
Sharmas Destination, Mashobra, director Abhinav did not mince words when he said that business has come to a standstill because there has been no snowfall. “We are waiting and hoping for snowfall that will get us tourists,” he said.
Chetan Thakur, director of Bhatla Hill Homestay in Baldeyan, told The Newz Radar that previously during December there used to be guests for at least 10 to 12 days but this time barring the New Year’s Eve bookings there was a total drought. He also highlighted that tourists were heading for Uttarakhand and Kashmir.