Hotels in north ‘sold out’ to city vacationers

Tourists ride a boat at Dal Lake in Srinagar. Kashmir has seen a record tourist arrival this year, said to be the highest in a decade. Pic/PTI

Mumbaikars desperately needing a reprieve from the heat are looking at travel as their source of comfort. However, there seems to be no respite as hoteliers and travel agents dealing with Kashmir, Shimla, Kullu-Manali and Uttarakhand say they are booked up fully for the vacation season and are turning away customers owing to the non-availability of rooms.

Turning away customers

Jitu Shah, director, Heena Tours and Travel, said, "For the past two years, due to the pandemic, people refrained from travelling. In February, after the COVID restrictions were lifted, citizens rushed to book and plan their vacations. We can only supply 50 per cent of customers due to high demand. We feel bad that we are unable to help them."

Shah further said, "Due to increase in season hotel rates and transportation fares, it has become difficult for us to balance our bookings. The rates mentioned on our brochures are no longer feasible for us. However, we try to comply, but the hotels in Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh have hiked their rates. Till now, we have 50 per cent of customers who have booked for Kashmir and the other 50 per cent are for other places."

Jyotin Doshi, director, Gem Tours and Travels Limited said, "Due to a hike in airline fares and rates of hotels, travellers who plan a budget trip have backed out. In Kashmir, the hotel rooms rates that were R15,000 earlier are now Rs 45,000-Rs 55,000."

Pilgrim places sold out, too

Doshi said, "Currently Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Darjeeling, Uttarakhand and Chardham bookings are running full. Due to summer, South India tours are low in demand. Chardham Yatra is 100 per cent full for May, while the booking for Amarnath Yatra was full just 15 minutes after it opened. Over 50,000 permits were sold out."

A Chardham Yatra organiser said, "May is fully booked and no rooms are available. The pilgrims waited for two years due to the pandemic and after the restrictions were lifted, many rushed to make the bookings."

Int'l tours in demand

Doshi said, "International tours are also in high demand. People are rushing to book for Europe and South Africa. However, many are facing visa issues as a booster dose is a must for Europe travel. The flight tickets to South Africa that earlier cost Rs 35,000 are now Rs 70,000 due to high demand."