After nearly six months of staying shut due to the coronavirus pandemic, the hotel industry in Himachal Pradesh has decided to open for tourists from 1 October. This includes more than 2,000 hotels, resorts, homestays and guest houses in Kullu-Manali plus accommodation options in Shimla, Dharamshala, McLeodganj and Dalhousie, which will resume operations with necessary precautions against COVID-19. Bars, however, will remain shut.
“We have set out time up to 30 September for hotel owners to make all requisite preparations and sanitations of the properties, necessary changes and procuring materials like sanitisers, etc,” said Anup Thakur, President, Manali Hoteliers Association. “Hotel staff will be trained to serve guests using face masks, gloves and maintain proper hygiene.”
Thakur added that hoteliers have sought three things from the government: “One, the SoPs should be tweaked to make it implementable under local conditions. Second, there is an urgent need to set up a COVID care centre in Kullu-Manali. Third, rapid testing of visitors should be introduced."
Ahead of the reopening of hotels, a campaign will be launched soon to educate other stakeholders in the tourism industry, such as taxi operators, dhaba owners and adventure service providers, on how to run their business safely in the midst of the pandemic, Thakur said.
If you're planning to head to Himachal Pradesh, click here for a list of hotels you can book.
Rules relaxed for Himachal tourists
This development comes within days of the Himachal Pradesh government easing restrictions for tourists. The mandatory five-day minimum booking has been relaxed to two days. While tourists still need to furnish a negative COVID-19 report, these can be up to 96 hours old, longer than the earlier 72-hour window. However, the rule requiring an e-pass for interstate travel still stands.
The travel and tourism industry is the backbone of the economy of Himachal Pradesh. It has practically been at a standstill since end March, when the lockdown was first imposed across India, rendering thousands jobless in the subsequent months.