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Nainital Tourism on Diwali: Tourism businessmen were expecting that many tourists would reach Nainital during the festival season, but the opposite happened. Nainital looks deserted due to lack of tourists even during Diwali holidays. Some incidents that happened recently are being said to be responsible for this. A decision of the municipality is also driving tourists away from the city.
Nainital. Nainital, the tourist city which was once bustling with tourists, is now very quiet, the situation is that very less number of tourists are reaching the city. Tourism has been cold in Nainital this year. First the communal violence here, then the tension on the Indo-Pak border and the disasters in the mountains during the monsoon season have greatly affected the tourism of Nainital. It seems as if tourists are now losing interest in Nainital. Even during the last Navratri and Dussehra, a very small number of tourists reached Nainital. Even the Bengali season is coming to a standstill this time. Businessmen associated with tourism had hopes from the coming weekend during Diwali. People were expecting that many tourists would reach Nainital during the festival season, but the opposite happened, even during the Diwali holidays, the lake city remained deserted due to the absence of tourists. Hoteliers are disappointed. He says that last year during Diwali the hotels were completely packed. Work has come to a complete standstill for a year.
Imran, a local shopkeeper of Nainital, said that Nainital is empty since Dussehra, there is no crowd in the restaurants, cafes, markets, shops and hotels here. Due to which the local residents who are involved in tourism business are facing the crisis of livelihood. According to Imran, tourists were expected to reach Nainital during the 4-day holiday during Diwali, where Nainital used to be packed in the first two days of holiday itself. This time also during Diwali, there is silence in Nainital. In such a situation, the continuously decreasing number of tourists is increasing the concern of the people. The main reason for tourists not arriving in Nainital is the increased parking and toll fees, due to which tourists are not coming.
What is the hotel association saying?
Nainital Hotel Association Secretary Ved Sah said that this year has been very bad in terms of tourism. Initially the incidents happening in the city and then the border tension along with the monsoon have affected the tourists here. The misleading reels being spread on social media also affected tourism and created an atmosphere of fear among the tourists. He said that the huge parking fee in Nainital is also a reason for the decrease in tourists. Nainital Municipality has increased the city entry fee to Rs 300 and parking fee to Rs 500. The effect of which is also visible on the tourism of Nainital.
This demand from the government
Ved Sah told that he was expecting tourists to arrive in Diwali after Dussehra, but the work came to a standstill. He has expressed hope that the number of tourists will increase after Diwali, although there is no advance booking yet, but Gujarati tourists are expected to arrive. He has demanded from the government to take action against the misleading reels circulating on the internet and also to promote the tourist places of Kumaon through their medium. He has also demanded to repair the roads connecting the city to other places which have been damaged during the rains.
Priyanshu has more than 10 years of experience in journalism. Before News 18 (Network 18 Group), he had worked with Rajsthan Patrika and Amar Ujala. He has Studied Journalism from Indian Institute of Mass Communic…read more
Priyanshu has more than 10 years of experience in journalism. Before News 18 (Network 18 Group), he had worked with Rajsthan Patrika and Amar Ujala. He has Studied Journalism from Indian Institute of Mass Communic… read more
