Shimla: Himachal Pradesh  Tourism Industry is ailing. Reason: it is free for all as the slack bureaucracy looks other way around.  

In Himachal Pradesh, where nature unveils its grandeur, a tale of staggering losses, colossal negligence, and an ailing tourism sector  call  for attention.

As the state's tourism canvas expands, promising prosperity and employment, a stark reality looms large over the hills.

The very lifeline of Himachal's economy, the tourism sector, has been left bleeding, wounded first by the pandemic's blow and now battered by the latest floods and the government's apathy to address the demands of the hoteliers seeking cut on the  fee on the outside  tourist vehicles.

The Shimla Hotel and Tourism Stakeholders Association has urged the Central government to launch Vande Bharat express  from major cities like Mumbai, Chennai, and Bangalore to Chandigarh or Kalka to attract more tourists to Himachal Pradesh.

The wounds run deep, costing the state a staggering Rs. 2000 crore in the months of July and August alone, leaving a scar on an industry that contributes 7.0 per cent to Himachal's GDP.

Amidst the struggle to revive from the dual calamities, a clandestine loss further plagues the state—the incompetence and neglect of Tourism & Civil Aviation development, resulting in losses running in crores.

Paragliding and river rafting, two jewels in Himachal's adventure tourism crown, are losing revenue due to the lack of proactive steps.

The accidents and mishaps in both adventure sports are bringing in bad name for the tourism in Himachal as well as the department lacks proactive regulation in Kullu-Manali, Bir-Billing and other places, explain the insiders. 

The vivid landscape hosts eleven government-approved paragliding sites, each a potential source of revenue.

Yet, a myopic approach has allowed millions to slip away, as the government fails to collect the mandated user fee of Rs. 200 per flight

Astonishingly, local associations and panchayats collect these fees, depriving the government of much-needed revenue.

But local stakeholders  say that it was their right to collect fee from the tourists as is the practice in other touristy states like Uttarakhand and Rajasthan. 

They also say that the tourism department did not spend a penny on developing paragliding and river rafting destinations.

It is the hard work put in by the local associations who are bringing in tourists and operating the adventure activities through their own equipment and resources.

Hence government has no business to be in tourism business, they assert. 

A meticulous calculation of the paragliding business exposes the department's negligence.

The Association charges  Rs. 4000 per flight from walkin tourists while cost amounting to Rs. 1000, the net profit per flight stands at a lucrative Rs. 3000.

However, the government's failure to collect the user fee from operator results in an annual revenue loss of Rs. 80 crores.

This staggering figure, when coupled with river rafting, could boost the state's revenue by Rs. 100 crores yearly, claim those who bat for regulation of river rafting and paragliding in the state. 

While the Chief Minister speaks of tourism promotion, the reality paints a grim picture.

The state's lack of funds for infrastructure development and employment opportunities for the youth is a direct consequence of this revenue leakage.

If Rs 100 crore fee loss is plugged and charged from operators  then the department can use the funds for creation of better facilities for adventure sports in the state. 

Himachal Pradesh, poised to be the country's tourism capital, stands at the crossroads of potential prosperity and continued losses.

But there are tourism operators who lambaste the tourism department for neglect, imploring action.

"The hoteliers are demanding a cut on the charges outside tourist operators from Gujarat and other places but to now avail.   The bleeding beauty of Himachal Pradesh's tourism industry calls for immediate attention", they demand.

The state's potential to become economically self-sufficient and a tourism haven hangs in the balance, awaiting proactive steps to staunch the losses caused by the Tourism Department's carelessness.

The time to act is now, before Himachal's tourism dreams fade into the oblivion of missed opportunities.

What action should be taken now so that Himachal tourism dreams do not fade into oblivion of missed opportunities?

Comments: I personally feel that we need total professionalization of entire tourism department. Induct professionals from top to bottom and transfer existing non professionals to other Govt departments where revenue generation is not the goal: Manoj Kumar, a hydro-power expert and engineer.