Tourist arrivals in Himachal Pradesh surged from 1.51 crore in 2022 to 1.60 crore in 2023, despite facing challenges such as heavy rainfall, floods, and landslides during the mid-year. The state witnessed over one crore visitors, comprising 99,78,504 domestic tourists and 28,239 foreigners, by June. However, tourist inflow came to a halt during the monsoon season due to severe weather conditions, including heavy rainfall, flash floods, and landslides, resulting in disruptions and significant losses.
The state incurred losses amounting to Rs 9,905.77 crore due to the adverse impact of July and August rains, with over 200 casualties reported in rain-related incidents and accidents. Notably, 75,000 stranded tourists had to be evacuated from Himachal Pradesh on July 9 and 10 as roads were blocked in various areas. Despite these challenges, the tourism industry began to revive during the Kullu International Dussehra festival, marking the commencement of relief and restoration efforts on an urgent basis.
Data from the tourism department revealed a total of 1.60 crore tourists, including 62,806 foreigners, visited Himachal Pradesh in 2023 compared to 1.51 crore tourists, with 29,333 foreigners, in the previous year. While the overall increase was six percent, there was a significant surge of 53 percent in foreign tourist arrivals. Officials attributed the recovery to improved infrastructure and the addition of new tourist destinations, with places like Atal Tunnel (Rohtang) emerging as popular attractions. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukkhu outlined plans for further tourism development, aiming to attract five crore tourists annually by enhancing infrastructure and promoting lesser-known destinations like Chandratal, Kaza, Tandi, Rackchham, and Nako ‘Chango’ Khab.
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