Despite traffic congestion, Shimla's monsoon charm -- drizzle, mist, cool weather, and cloud-covered hills -- is drawing tourists to the hill station, with the tourism industry reporting steady bookings and no major cancellations so far.
Since the devastating monsoon of 2023, landslides, flash floods, cloud bursts and other rain-related disasters that disrupted road, power and communication networks had made many tourists weary of travelling to the hills. However, no major rain-relate disaster has been reported in Shimla so far this year.
Flash floods, triggered by heavy rain have, however, washed away bridges and disrupted road connectivity in the tribal districts of Kinnaur, Lahaul and Spiti, as well as Chamba.
In Shimla, traffic congestion and slow-moving vehicles have caused inconvenience to commuters, but tourists continue to flock to the state capital to escape the scorching heat in the plains.
Local resident Preetam Chand said the monsoon season has started on a positive note, but bookings tend to get cancelled whenever social media is flooded with reports of rain-related incidents, stranded vehicles, deaths and injuries.
Hotel occupancy in the hill town is hovering between 40 and 50 per cent on weekends, up by more than 10 per cent compared with the corresponding period last year, tourism industry stakeholders said.
Before the monsoon disasters of 2023 and 2025, hotel occupancy during the first two weeks of July used to be around 70 per cent. However, rain-related calamities in those years had created apprehensions among tourists, affecting footfall, a local hotelier said.
Shimla Hotels and Restaurants Association Vice President Prince Kukreja told PTI that there had been no significant cancellations and the industry was hopeful of a smooth season if there were no major rain-related incidents.
Travel entrepreneur Vijay Kumar said tourists were now visiting Himachal Pradesh in good numbers to experience the monsoon, unlike earlier, when many avoided travelling to the hills during the rainy season.
He said bookings continued to pour in, with several hotels recording 80-90 per cent occupancy last week, adding that the season could prove profitable for the tourism industry if favourable weather conditions persisted.
Tourists also expressed satisfaction with their experience.
Badruddin, who visited Shimla with his family from Kanpur, said the weather is pleasant and the scenery is beautiful, whereas another tourist from the same city, Shavina, said the cloud-covered mountains and light showers made the trip truly memorable.
Arvind Singh, a tourist from Ludhiana, said Shimla is the ideal destination to escape the scorching heat of the plains.
Despite intermittent rain and overcast skies, Shimla continues to witness a steady influx of tourists, with stakeholders optimistic about the remainder of the monsoon season.
