Travel agents urge poll panel to advance voting date in Himachal

Tribune News Service

Shimla, March 17

Himachal Pradesh Travel Agents’ Association, Manali, has urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to prepone voting for the Lok Sabha election from the seventh phase to the first phase in the state. The association fears the prolonged election activities in the state would hit the tourism sector which is already under a lot of stress.

“We have seen the adverse effect of prolonged electioneering on the tourism industry in the Lok Sabha elections 2014 and 2019. April, May and June are our peak tourist months and tourism stakeholders earn lion’s share of their annual business in these three months,” said association’s president Budhi Prakash Thakur.

“That’s the reason why we have written to the ECI and the Chief Electoral Officer of the state to consider advancing the voting in the state to the first phase,” said Thakur.

In its letter, the association has said that tourists hesitate to travel in the midst of election activities due to potential restrictions, rallies and roadblocks. The association further pointed out that the increased movement of political leaders and security personnel lead to congestion, delay and higher costs for tourists and businesses.

The association pointed out that the tourism industry was already under stress and was struggling to get back on its feet after the devastating impact of Covid-19 and then the natural disaster last year. “If the election goes as per schedule in the state, the stakeholders will suffer losses in April, May and early June and several hoteliers, transporters and tour operators would struggle to repay their loan instalments,” the association said.

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