Tourist influx to Manali goes up after fresh snowfall

Dipender Manta

Mandi, November 17

Tourist influx to Kullu-Manali has improved after fresh snowfall. Hoteliers are delighted and expecting good business in the days to come.

According to Nakul Khullar, Director of Baragarh resort, Manali, inquiries for room bookings have gone up. Those from the Bollywood industry have made their plan to visit Manali next month for film shoots. Advance bookings have been made by some people.

Budhi Prakash Thakur, another hotelier of Manali, said, “Snow is a major attraction for tourists. There is a slight increase in tourist influx to Kullu-Manali for the last two days. There was abundant snow on the ground beyond Manali towards Atal tunnel or Gulaba side for the recreation of tourists. We invite tourists to plan their trip to Manali because the weather is pleasant for tourist activity. We are hopeful that tourist footfall will rise in Kullu-Manali till the end of November.”

Mall Road in Manali and Atal Tunnel at Rohtang on the Manali-Leh highway abuzz with tourist activity. Tourists are rushing to spots beyond Manali near Atal tunnel in the daytime to enjoy the snow activity.

A tourist couple hailing from Delhi Kishan Agarwal and his wife Suman, who visited the Atal tunnel to enjoy snow activity, said, “It was an amazing experience to enjoy snow activity. The weather was very pleasant. It was a wonderful experience to travel through the 9.2-km-long Atal tunnel on Manali-Leh highway to reach Sissu in Lahaul. It is a wonderful masterpiece of engineering, which is worth visiting for students as well as civilians.”

Gajender Thakur, Chief Patron of Manali Hoteliers Association, said that “after snowfall room occupancy in hotels of Manali has increased up to 40 per cent. Earlier, it was below 20 per cent. We are expecting good business in the coming days. Tourists can visit Gulaba on Rohtang road or Atal tunnel on the Manali-Leh highway to enjoy snow. Hotel industry is ready to welcome the tourists.”