After a haul of two years, the Christmas vibe is back in Uttarakhand, with various tourist spots such as Mussoorie and Nainital seeing a spike in bookings from travellers looking forward to ringing in the new year at the hill stations. Many restaurants and hotels along lakes are also getting ready with festive decor for the season.
While the Mall Road leading to Nainital has been illuminated with Christmas lights, speakers have been set up along the way to welcome visitors, PTI reported. Travellers looking for a quiet vacation removed from the hustle and bustle of the city can book rest houses and bungalows at the Jim Corbett and the Rajaji tiger reserves. The tourism industry in Uttarakhand is expected to boom this year following the removal of the Covid restrictions.
The tourism industry is a vital part of Uttarakhand’s economy, and it was affected by the pandemic. However, with the number of cases declining, it is believed that this year will be a positive one for the industry.
According to Digvijay Singh, the president of the Nainital Hotel Association, the Mall Road is decking up for the season and this year the music will be played from 6 to 10 pm every night as part of the festivities. Further permission to play music till 12 am on December 31 is under process.
The director of the Ranjiji Tiger Reserve told the news agency there are more than enough rooms in the reserve to accommodate the holiday season. He also said that the police have stepped up patrolling in the area. Tourists can also book day and night safaris at the Jim Corbett National Park.
Hotel and Resort Owners, Welfare Association president Hari Singh Mann is affirmative that although bookings at private resorts in Jim Corbett for Christmas have been less than expected New Years’ booking will compensate for the shortfall.
The bookings for the upcoming week have been made at the various lodges and hotels in the Lakshman Jhula and Muni-ki-Reti areas of Rishikesh. Girish Dhasmana, the president of the Ramnagar Gipsy Owners’ Welfare Committee, said that the number of tourists visiting the area this year without advance booking is very low. He attributed the decline in the number of these travellers to the authorities restricting the entry of Gipsies in the Sitabani forest area from 150 to 50 a day.
Although there are no bookings for the Christmas season in the area, the number of people visiting the area for the New Year is expected to be higher than last year, said Dipak Bishte, the president of a hotel and resort association in the area. He added that the hotels and resorts in the area are likely to see a spike in the number of tourists from December 24.
According to Kamal Kishore Dimri, the manager of the Garhwal Mandap Vikas Nigam, the hotels and guest houses in the snowy town of Chamoli district, are full from December 24 to January 1.
