The natural disaster has come at a time when it is a peak season for tourism in the Himalayan region.
At a time when tourism touches its peak in Himachal Pradesh, the cloudburst and flash floods in Leh have spelt doom for the tourism industry.
Officials said more than 200 foreigners and 500 domestic tourists stranded between Leh and Serchu, Keylong and Kaza in Spiti, returned to Manali in Himachal Pradesh since traffic on Leh-Manali highway was restored two days ago.
However, the inflow of tourists in the region has been badly hit.
“There is a considerable panic and fear among tourists who just want to get out of here safely,” tourism department director Prabhu Dayal said. August-September is generally the peak season for the Manali-Lahaul-Kaza cold desert circuit. But the hotel occupancy this year was negligible, he said.
Sources said embassies in New Delhi had sounded alert and asked their citizens not to venture into Ladakh sector till the situation normalises. “The alert has hit tourist arrivals in Lahaul-Spiti,” a senior officer in Shimla said. “It will take another 10 days to restore the bridges,” he added.
In fact, the Lahaul-Manali circuit had expected a rise in foreign and domestic tourist arrivals this season due to trouble in Srinagar. “July was good with 50% occupancy in Keylong and about 70-80% in Manali, but rains and bad condition of the highway somehow prevented large number of tourists,” the officer said.
Tourism officer Rajeshwar Goel said the tourism department had cancelled bus services to Leh due to the flash floods. The traffic on the Leh-Rumse section of the Manali-Leh highway too remained disrupted as the flash floods washed away the 8 km stretch of road and three bridges between Pang and Leh.
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