Pradesh Tourism Hit as Gujarat Tour Operators Boycott Due to Additional Taxes

Shimla, October 8: The tourism industry in Himachal Pradesh is facing a crisis as tour operators from Gujarat have announced a boycott after the imposition of additional taxes on vehicles from other states. Gujarat-based travel agents have canceled bookings to Himachal Pradesh in response to the daily taxes ranging from 3,000 to 6,000 imposed on All India Tourist Permit (AITP) vehicles.

During the Durga Puja tourist season, which begins in October, thousands of tourists from Gujarat visit Himachal Pradesh. However, following the boycott of Himachal Pradesh, these tourists are redirecting their plans to Uttarakhand and Kashmir.

Tourists from Gujarat, West Bengal, and Maharashtra arrive in Ambala and Chandigarh by train and then travel to Himachal Pradesh’s tourist destinations in groups using tempo travelers and buses. The sudden imposition of these new taxes has forced travel agents from Gujarat to cancel advance bookings, causing significant financial losses to the tourism industry in Himachal Pradesh.

Stakeholders in the tourism industry are urging Himachal Pradesh’s government to reconsider the new tax. Vinesh Shah, President of the Travel Agents Association of India, has appealed to Gujarat’s Tourism Minister, Mulubhai Bera, to engage in dialogue with the Himachal Pradesh government to have the new tax revoked. The tax has adversely affected Gujarat’s tourism business operators.

Himachal Pradesh has imposed daily taxes ranging from 3,500 to 5,000 on tourist vehicles, making tour packages more expensive. This increase in costs has led to a surge in demand for tourist destinations in Uttarakhand and Kashmir.

Tourists are boycotting Himachal Pradesh until the state government rescinds the tax. The rise in taxes has disrupted the budget of travelers. In Shimla, outside tourist buses are being halted where parking and restroom facilities are lacking. – Munjal Fitar, Vice-President, Tour Operators Agents Association