November 5, 2018
Tourist footfall in the Hills goes past recent years’ counts
The tourist traffic in the Hills this festive season has surpassed the number of visitors in recent years, triggering a scramble for hotels, homestays and vehicles, said guides, tour operators and hotel owners in Darjeeling Hills.
The president of the Eastern Himalaya Travel and Tour Operators’ Association has said that according to the association’s estimates, there is an increase of around 45 per cent in the tourist inflow compared to 2016.
The flow of tourists in the Hills generally ebbs after Durga Puja and picks up around the third week of December. But this year, guided tours and hotels are already booked till the second week of November.
In Darjeeling, hotel owners have already started receiving queries for March and April. There was no vacancy in entire Darjeeling during Durga Puja, said a hotel owner in Darjeeling, and that more than 60 per cent of the rooms are still booked.
The homestays in Darjeeling and Kalimpong are also in demand due to their affordability and locations.
