KUMARHATTI: The tourists today made beeline to hills to celebrate Christmas. The hundred of tourists mostly revelers dominated by the youth started to pour in the morning. The rush touched its peak in afternoon when roadside dhabas, eating joints and hotels flooded with tourist rush from adjoining plain area of Chandigarh and its satellite towns of Mohali and Panchkula.
The clear weather condition proved a blessing in disguise for those associated with tourism locally after white Christmas hope at Shimla nosedived for want of snow. The good numbers of tourists planned to go to Shimla were seen settling for enjoy and revelry at nearby tourist resorts of Barog, Kasauli and Dharampur.
We had earlier planned to go to Shimla for white Christmas celebrations, pointed out a young couple from Panchkula at a restaurant here. But now when no snow there it was no logic to go to Shimla rather to enjoy the occasion here in scenic hills surroundings, they maintained.
The only logic to go to Shimla if there was snow there otherwise the wooded surroundings here s were far better than Shimla, remarked another couple from Chandigarh while enjoying lunch at the famous roadside Giani Ka Dhaba at Dharampur near here.
In fact the food junctions point at Dharampur having some well known eateries were remained jam packed with tourist arrival throughout the day. Moreover the low tariffs in local hotels as compare to those in Shimla and its surrounding tourist resorts also helped to force the tourists to opt for celebrations here.
As per a local restaurant owner the daily sale today was cent percent high as compare to other normal days. It seemed that early snowfall has done trick as record number of tourists reached hills this time, pointed out another local eating point owner.
The snow possibility in next few days could be a tremendous booster for tourism industry as New Years’ eve celebrations were just round the corner, said a local hotelier.
