Himachal gears up to welcome tourists
Pratibha Chauhan
Tribune News Service

Shimla, May 2
Hoping for a good tourist season not plagued by the routine water
shortage and traffic problem, the Tourism Department has made
elaborate arrangements to welcome visitors to the hill state with
folk artistes regaling them at various destinations like Dalhousie,
Dharamsala and Shimla.

With a good snowfall this winter, the department of Tourism and
Civil Aviation is confident that the biggest problem of water
shortage in the state capital will not cast its shadow on the inflow
of tourists. "The water level at the various reservoirs, including
the one at the Ridge and the Ashwani khud, is far higher than the
normal at this time of the year so we are confident that it will be
a good season," informed a tourism official.

With the `Queen of Hills' invariably facing an acute water shortage
during the peak summer months, tourists avoid coming here when media
reports in this regard are splashed in newspapers. The Commissioner,
Tourism and Civil Aviation held a meeting with all the District
Tourism Officers on April, 27 and with the various hotelier's
associations here recently to make elaborate arrangements for the
tourist season.

The visitors to the state this year can get a glimpse of the
Himachali folk dance and music as the local artistes will give
performances at places like Ridge, Naldehra, Mcleodganj, Dalhousie
and Manali throughout the summer season. "This will not only give an
opportunity to the local artistes to showcase their talent but will
add to the air of festivity and celebration which is prevalent
around this time," remarked an official.

During the recent road shows held at Mumbai, Chennai and Ahmedabad
recently to promote Himachal as a tourist destination, senior
tourism officials held meetings with the tour operators. "During the
tourism fairs organized at Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune and Delhi we got
overwhelming response from people who made queries about various
places in the state," said officials.

In order to regulate traffic and ensure proper parking for the
tourists, the department of Tourism has asked the district
administration to throw open certain areas like Chaura Maidan for
parking of outside vehicles. Similar plea is also being made to the
concerned district authorities and Municipal Council's at places
like Kulu-Manali, Dalhousie, Mandi, Chamba and other places of
tourist interest.

The officials of the department are undertaking regular inspection
of hotels to ensure that the rate list is displayed and there is no
overcharging or fleecing by taxi drivers and porters. The tourist
information centres will remain open from 8 a.m to 8 p.m so that the
tourists can seek information.