Home

Back to Index

Israel-Lebanon war affects tourism in Manali

      Manali: The ongoing Israel-Lebanon war badly affected the tourists' inflow in the picturesque town of Manali, which is a preferred destination for Israeli tourists. The tourist season in Himachal Pradesh commences from August and continues till October. During this period around 30,000 to 35,000 foreigners visits Kullu-Manali every year. Out of this 20,000 to 25,000 tourists are from Israel. Nimant Ram, a local tour and travel operator said, "This year the inflow of foreign tourists has gone down to almost ten percent; initially because of Football World Cup and now due to the Israel-Lebanon war. This has affected our business to a great extent". "The rains in Himachal Pradesh and the war between Israel and Lebanon have badly affected business; our main consumers happen to be the Israelis," Sachin, a local shopkeeper added.

     Manali, also known as 'mini Israel' due to heavy inflow of the Israeli tourists, this time is awaiting for the tourists eagerly. "From the past few years, the inflow of the foreign tourists was going tremendously but this year we are still waiting for the tourists. One of the major reasons happens to be the Israel- Lebanon war. Besides this, majority of flights from Delhi directly go to Leh, which further affects our business," said Raghunath Sood, General Secretary, Hotel Association, Manali. While the time being the peak tourists' season of the year, people associated with the tourism industry believe that if the Israel-Lebanon war continues, the tourism industry in Himachal Pradesh might have to face a tough time.
-Aug 12,  2006

Leading Indian News Papers

Overseas Tourist
Offices

Tourist offices
in India

Helpline