Manali (Himachal Pradesh) [India], December 20 : With winter in Himachal Pradesh in full bloom, tourists are flocking in large numbers to the state's famous destinations, including Kullu and Manali.
The smog and poor air quality in Delhi and several other cities in north India is also making people move to hilly areas to take in some fresh air.
Tourists said they felt relief from respiratory heaviness, coughs, and eye irritation caused by high air pollution.
Pankaj, a tourist from Faridabad, said that the air in the city is bad at the moment, which is why he planned a trip to Manali with his friends.
"This is my first day in Manali, we visited the Hadimba Devi Temple and then went to Mall Road. Tomorrow we plan to visit Club House, Atal Tunnel, Sissu, Rohtang Pass, and Gramphu with their friends," he said.
Saurav Pandey, a tourist from Gurugram, said that in his area, some shopkeepers have shut their shops temporarily to escape ill effects of pollution.
"Pollution has increased so much that even shopkeepers have closed shutters. I feel at peace and refreshed after coming to Manali," he said.
Kullu district also has seen a rise in the inflow of tourists. Over 15,000 vehicles from across the country have arrived in Kullu-Manali, which has given a boost to the state's tourism industry.
Kullu District Tourism Development Officer Rohit Sharma said there has been an increase in tourist arrivals across the district, including Manali, Manikaran, Kasol, Tirthan, Banjar, Jibhi, and surrounding areas.
He also attributed the recent increase in tourist flow to the festive season of Christmas and New Year, saying that many people have made bookings.
"With Christmas and New Year approaching, tourists from across the country are making advance bookings, and if there is snowfall in the coming days, it will further benefit the tourism business," he said.
Manikaran Valley Hotel Association President Kishan Thakur said that the tourism business is getting back on track since the natural disasters in the area.
"In the last two weeks, a large number of tourists from across the country have been arriving in the Manikaran Valley. Hotel owners have made various preparations for Christmas and New Year, including organising live music and aarti (religious ceremony) for tourists coming from all over the country," he said.