Tourists flock to sanctuaries to celebrate a ‘wilder’ 2019
Tiger reserves like Sariska, Ranthambhore are seeing heavy bookings on the last day of year
With the year 2018 coming to an end and a new year begins, the hoteliers and resort owners in Tiger Reserve and sanctuaries in the state are in an elevated mood. To celebrate their new year in a special way, tourists have flocked to the sanctuaries in huge numbers and as a result, not many hotels are operating at full capacity. This is particularly good for hotels at Sariska, which sees fewer tourists compared to Ranthambhore even though being close to the National capital region (NCR).
New years has always been a huge time for the hoteliers in the state and even in the remote parts and forest areas, tourists have reached in good numbers. “However, off late, the tourism at Sariska was on its way down. There was a time when tourists use to come in huge numbers at Sariska, but due to several administrative problems at the park and various other similar factors, the tourism declined. After the Tigers were completely wiped out here, tourism did not fully take up as it was earlier,” a hotelier from Sariska told DNA.
While Ranthambhore has managed to keep attracting tourists in huge numbers every year, the situation at Sariska was extremely bad. However, this year around a change has been observed, not just at Sariska but at Jawai leopard conservation area, tourists have reached in good numbers.
“Jawai is a new spot compared to Ranthambhore and Sariska but the frequency with which new properties have come up here means that tourists are thronging the place. As a result, the resorts in this part, where there were none once, are now full of guests. Although the numbers are not as huge as Ranthambhore, it is pretty significant,” a forest official said requesting anonymity. Interestingly, even lesser visited areas of the state like Tal Chappar and Kumbhalgarh sanctuary have received a huge inflow of tourists, both domestic and foreign.
A treat for hoteliers
New years has always been a huge time for the hoteliers in the state and even in the remote parts and forest areas, tourists have reached in good numbers. “However, off late, the tourism at Sariska was on its way down. There was a time when tourists use to come in huge numbers at Sariska, but due to several administrative problems at the park and various other similar factors, the tourism declined,” a hotelier from Sariska told DNA.