Pallavi Sharma
Shimla/Manali/Dharamshala:
Himachal Pradesh’s hill stations are brimming with tourists this Christmas, with thousands pouring in from across the country to soak in the festive cheer. The surge has lifted hotel occupancy sharply and the buzz is expected to continue right through New Year, promising a windfall running into crores for the state’s tourism and hospitality sector.
On Wednesday, hotels in Shimla, Chail and Kasauli reported nearly 90% occupancy, while Dalhousie and Khajjiar touched around 80%. In Kullu, Manali and Dharamshala, about 50% of rooms were packed, with late-night celebrations adding to the holiday vibe. Shimla, Dharamshala and Manali wore a festive look well past midnight as tourists rang in Christmas with music, lights and parties.
Snow lure draws crowds to hills
Recent snowfall in Rohtang, Lahaul, Keylong and Koksar has acted as a major magnet, drawing snow-seekers in large numbers. Transport services from Delhi to Himachal, including HRTC buses and private Volvos, are running full.
The Kalka-Shimla toy train is booked till January 6, with waiting lists crossing 65 passengers on several services, underlining the scale of the rush.
Traffic snarls add to holiday chaos
The tourist influx has also triggered massive traffic jams. Long queues were seen from Shoghi to Shimla city, while congestion plagued the Sanwara toll plaza in Solan and the Pandoh-Manali stretch in Mandi district. Heavy tourist traffic was also reported on roads leading to Kufri and Narkanda, with authorities struggling to manage the holiday surge.
Hotels, carnivals lift business mood
Christmas Eve saw high-voltage celebrations on Manali’s Mall Road, where DJs kept revellers dancing till late evening. In Dharamshala-McLeodganj, hotel bookings crossed 50%, with visitors thronging St John’s Church from across India and abroad.
A hotelier said in Dharamshala said occupancy is expected to rise further for New Year. In Kullu-Manali, pre-Christmas bookings in Banjar, Shoja, Jibhi, Tirthan, Manikaran and Manali touched 70%, bringing cheer to traders after the disaster-hit months.
Tourism hotspots Khajjiar and Dalhousie have already seen 80% of rooms booked, with advance reservations continuing. Hotels run by the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation are also expected to be fully occupied during the Christmas-New Year period.
Anil Chandel, owner of Hotel Rocky Knob near Sanjauli in Shimla, said the tourist surge following snowfall has boosted destinations such as Shimla, Manali, Chail, Kasauli, Dalhousie and Khajjiar, and the rush is likely to persist through New Year celebrations.
