Hotels in Kullu have fully occupied while occupancy rate in hotels in Manali have gone up from 15 percent to 50 percent within a week as thousands of tourists from country and abroad have flocked to see Dussehra festival.
Occupancy rate in hotels in Kullu-Manali was below 15 percent in September. Suddenly the district is witnessing crowd of tourists and hoteliers are cheering the festival season. Ahead of honeymoon season, Kullu-Manali is expected to have witnessing well rush of tourists for a month. According to Manali hoteliers’ association president Gajender Thakur, thousands of tourists are reaching Kullu-Manali every day. “Festivals have rejuvenated the tourism in valley. Honeymooners too are heading towards hills. Hotel occupancy rate has increased 50 to 60 percent in Manali while most of the hotels in Kullu are already fully occupied,” he said.
Tourists in Dussehra are dancing to the tune of drums and trumpets. Not only travelling and adventure enthusiasts but many education and research students from Great Britain have arrived in Kullu Dussehra. A research student from University of Liverpool, Boadicea said she along with her mates is on a project at primary school in Kullu and they have got opportunity to glance the Dussehra festivity. “We need at least 50 years to complete research on Kullu Dussehra and deities present here. Everything is unique here. We are lucky that we have chance to spend a week here,” she said.
Manager of hotel Shobla International in Kullu Rakesh said tourists from across the world have thronged Kullu to see the Dussehra festivity and most of their rooms are already booked. “90% rooms of hotel are occupied. This time Kullu is witnessing peak festival tourist season,” he said.
Travel agents are busy selling Dussehra and Diwali packages. Ravi Thakur, a travel agent in Manali, said special packages for Dussehra and Diwali are attracting scores of domestic tourists. He added, “Hotels have dropped their tariff up to 40 percent. Similarly taxi operators are charging 25 percent less fare. Hence tourists are enjoying cheap festival packages. One day Dussehra sightseeing tour has been included to the package.”
October being the month of marriages, hundreds of couples are reaching here for honeymoon. Honeymoon special hotels in Manali have been occupied up to 80 percent.
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