Himachal turns preferred vacay destination for tourists from state | Bhubaneswar News
Cuttack: After the terror attack in Pahalgam, tourists from the state are increasingly choosing Himachal Pradesh for their summer vacations, local tour operators said.
Kashmir, which had gained significant popularity among Odisha tourists in recent years, is witnessing a sharp decline in bookings after the April 22 attack that claimed several lives and left many injured.
“Until last month, over 70% of our summer packages were booked for Kashmir. However, after the Pahalgam attack, around 40% of those clients have either cancelled or rebooked for Himachal,” said Pradeep Sahu, a travel agency owner in Cantonment area.
Popular destinations like Manali, Shimla and Dharamshala in HP are experiencing a surge in bookings. Tour operators have responded by increasing transportation capacity. “We’ve added extra buses and flight coordination for Manali and Shimla tours in May and June,” Sahu added.
Nibedita Mohanty, a Bhubaneswar-based travel consultant, attributed the shift to safety concerns. “People are very conscious about safety, especially families travelling with children or senior citizens. Himachal, in comparison, is seen as more stable and predictable,” she said.
The sentiment is echoed by tourists like Subhransu Nayak from Buxi Bazaar. “We were planning to visit Gulmarg this May, but after the attack, we decided to go to Manali instead. Safety comes first,” he said.
Sitanshu Das, a private travel agency owner, noted that Kashmir’s popularity had grown significantly over the past two years due to improved connectivity. “Direct flights to Srinagar via Delhi made the Valley more accessible, but the recent incident has reversed the trend,” he said.
With summer holidays approaching and rising temperatures, tourism industry experts predicted a robust season for Himachal Pradesh, marking its return as the preferred destination for Odisha tourists.
Kashmir, which had gained significant popularity among Odisha tourists in recent years, is witnessing a sharp decline in bookings after the April 22 attack that claimed several lives and left many injured.
“Until last month, over 70% of our summer packages were booked for Kashmir. However, after the Pahalgam attack, around 40% of those clients have either cancelled or rebooked for Himachal,” said Pradeep Sahu, a travel agency owner in Cantonment area.
Popular destinations like Manali, Shimla and Dharamshala in HP are experiencing a surge in bookings. Tour operators have responded by increasing transportation capacity. “We’ve added extra buses and flight coordination for Manali and Shimla tours in May and June,” Sahu added.
Nibedita Mohanty, a Bhubaneswar-based travel consultant, attributed the shift to safety concerns. “People are very conscious about safety, especially families travelling with children or senior citizens. Himachal, in comparison, is seen as more stable and predictable,” she said.
The sentiment is echoed by tourists like Subhransu Nayak from Buxi Bazaar. “We were planning to visit Gulmarg this May, but after the attack, we decided to go to Manali instead. Safety comes first,” he said.
Sitanshu Das, a private travel agency owner, noted that Kashmir’s popularity had grown significantly over the past two years due to improved connectivity. “Direct flights to Srinagar via Delhi made the Valley more accessible, but the recent incident has reversed the trend,” he said.
With summer holidays approaching and rising temperatures, tourism industry experts predicted a robust season for Himachal Pradesh, marking its return as the preferred destination for Odisha tourists.
