With domestic and foreign tourists thronging different hill stations ahead of the 31st celebrations, leaving aside the bitter memories of the Himalayan Tsunami that wrecked havoc in lives of many in the hill State this monsoon, Uttarakhand gets ready to welcome New Year 2014 with high hopes of wellness and happiness for all.
For some people it may just be an another occasion to mark the arrival of the new year whereas it may come as a beginning of new life for others particularly for the sufferers of this nature’s catastrophe who wish to forget the mental trauma and agony that they had undergone due to the devastating monsoon this year.
However, taking a break from their busy life, tourists from different parts of the country and abroad have started arriving here for new year celebrations.
Since most of the visitors have already done their advance booking , therefore, others are expected to reach different hill tourist destinations even on Tuesday, said the tour operators here.
Hotels and tourist resorts are reported to be packed to their capacities here in different tourist zones including the lake city Nainial, for those.
Tourists who for reasons could not get advance booking for accommodations, need not to be disappointed.
The hoteliers or the tour operators here are of the view that if the tourists are ready to pay more than the existing charges, than the accommodation could be arranged for them.
But for those who wish to stay at the Government run guest houses, especially at the Nainital Club which is located in the lake city Nainital, there will be hardly any chance for the tourists to get any bookings at this peak time because visitors have to apply for booking at least one week in advance at the spacious Nainital Club, said N C Upreti, senior management official of the Nainital Club, while talking to
The Pioneer.
And, also he informed that the booking for accommodation at the Nainital Club is granted by the State estate department, Dehradun. However, occupancy in the Nainital Club is almost full,
he added.
In the meanwhile, in view of stiff competition in the market, hoteliers and tour operators are trying to attract the tourists in their own ways by complementary tour packages and special discounts to name a few.
Besides, in order to attract the tourists, the hoteliers have also made arrangements to organise special cultural programmes, music and dance shows with a special focus on Kumaoni culture.
As the light music and dance shows or DJs have become very popular nowadays , therefore visitors may also enjoy such shows, said Balram Nainwal, a Nainital based tour operator.
More so, the tourists may also be able to relish a variety of Kumaoni cuisines during their sojourn here, he added.
Apart from the lake city, many other tourists destinations have also been thronged by the tourists. Even some locals here have also decided to celebrate the new year celebrations at a tourist place, away from home.
In the meanwhile, the Nainital police claims to have thrown a thick security blanket in and around the district
to avoid any untoward incident during the new year
celebrations.
Besides, as the Nainital police has said, maximum vigil has been maintained in all sensitive inter district border points to keep an eye on the anti-social elements who try to sneak into the neighbouring district territory after
committing a crime to avoid police action.