The recent Shimla mosque dispute has had a significant impact on the tourism sector in Himachal Pradesh. Local business owners have reported a decline in tourism revenue for the city in the last week.
The conflict began with the construction of an unlicensed mosque in Sanjauli. Hindu organizations protested and subsequently ended up in a violent confrontation. This unrest caused the closure of the trade boards and led to widespread demonstrations throughout the state.
Bookings have been markedly down during this period, which marks the beginning of the tourist influx following the rainy season but before the peak winter season. There are many cancellations and few new bookings. Business owners are concerned about the future, as they fear further financial losses.
They urge the state to resolve the dispute quickly to restore normalcy to the tourism industry and to protect it.
AshwSood expressed his frustration and stated:
“Eversince the dispute over the mosque, bookings were cancelled.”
The negative reaction is palpable. The dispute has undoubtedly affected business. Although it’s difficult to quantify the effects, they are clear.
We hope the government will act swiftly to control the situation and improve environmental conditions so that our families don’t suffer any further losses. We want tourists to be able to enjoy their trip without worrying about safety.
In Odisha, chapter members will work closely with state tourism officials and local stakeholders to ensure that the state’s tourism policy is implemented effectively. Odisha offers a variety of subsidies to encourage investment in hotels, including capital investments, employment and environmental protection subsidies. HAI’s Odisha Chapter focuses on making sure that these benefits are available to both new and existing hotels.
We’ve received a lot of messages and news about this situation. The government must address this issue immediately to restore harmony and promote tourism. Tourism is on the rise in places like Palampur Mandi and Soni. We hope that this trend will continue once the dispute has been resolved.”Mustak,” a 35-year-old horse rider on the Ridge of Shimla who is concerned about the rising tension, said that Himachal Pradesh is renowned as a place of peace and communal harmony and that such disputes were unprecedented in his experience. The problem seems to be caused by vendors who are not properly registered.
This situation has caused us to lose a lot of business. Many local businesses including ours have been brought to a standstill. I’ve lived in Shimla since decades and we’ve always lived peacefully. The current unrest in Shimla is due to external factors and poor management.
We need the state to resolve this issue quickly so that local businesses may resume normal operations. All our horse and trade boards are suffering. We urge the government, to quickly address these concerns and restore order.”
The tensions in the region have brought to light the urgent need for stabilisation and support of the tourism industry. This is vital to the economy of the region.
