Himachal govt plans to revive tourism business hit by Covid-19 pandemic

Amidst the inflow of tourists in Himachal Pradesh ahead of the festive season, the state government is planning to revive tourism business that has been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Speaking to ANI, Director of Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) Amit Kashyap said that several people related to the tourism business lost their jobs in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Now, we see that the inflow of tourists has started to increase in the region. So, the tourism department is planning for the revival of its business. The Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation is offering special packages to boost tourism in the region," he stated.

"We annually receive 1.75 crore tourists here but due to the Covid pandemic, the arrival of tourists was restricted, following which, only 32 lakh tourists came here in 2020. This year, the number of tourists, as per data available till the end of September is 35 lakh," he added.

Mohammad Zafar, a tourist at mall road in Shimla said, "The tourists' inflow to the hills is on a rise as many people are here to get themselves relaxed in the lap of nature, especially after Covid-19 curbs have eased."

"Himachal Pradesh is a beautiful place to visit in India. We are also adhering to Covid protocols," said a tourist from Uttar Pradesh.

Abrahim Zafar, another tourist from Aligarh, said that the pandemic period has been stressful for students. "I am a ninth class student and my examinations recently got over. I am feeling recuperated here. I would recommend everyone to visit here," he stated.

( With inputs from ANI )