The tourism cloud over Shimla is finally getting a silver lining with the hotel industry in Himachal Pradesh gearing up towards welcoming tourists from October 2020 after almost six long months of shutting down due to the harsh COVID pandemic conditions. Following the decision by the government, more than 2000 resorts, hotels, guest houses, and homestays have opened up and decided to resume their tourism operations with strict necessary SoPs for the tourists in order to prevent any risk of COVID and related transmission for the safety of health.
Shimla is the quintessential Queen of the hills and with the end of monsoons, this beautiful place turns lush green in the months of October. With the travel restrictions and bans being lifted off, Shimla in October is indeed a perfect getaway for people who have been locked up in their mundane work from home routines till now!
The view of Shimla is absolutely spectacular in October and with the dust and pollution washed away, this is the best time to visit the tourist spots after a long haul. Shimla is generally visited during the snowfall season in the winters but an October visit, with moderate and cool climate amidst the fragrance of fall foliage, can be the most pleasing thing after this boring life in lockdown and while you are already planning to visit the Mall road and the Shimla Museum, take the 5 minutes Jakhu ropeway ride to experience the breathtaking Himalayan hills while paying a visit to the Jakhutemple. For adventure activities like trekking and camping, the weather is perfect and with several camping sites in Shimla, it will indeed make a memorable stay amidst nature. Besides these tourist places, people can also take a walk around Naldehra, 23 km out of Shimla, which houses the oldest nine-hole golf course in India.
By the end of October 2020, tourists will be able to book their hotel stays at Shimla, Dharamshala, McLeodganj, and Dalhousie. Shimla and Manali Hoteliers’ Association have also announced the resuming of the tourism business and guarantee a ‘safe and comfortable’ stay to tourists. The government has opened the liquor shops but not the bars in the restaurants and hotels and moreover, the condition of bringing the COVID test report by the tourists will be prevalent for a bit more time. The hotel staff will also be trained to serve the tourists with proper regulations of using face masks, gloves, and maintain proper hygiene. This is great news for the tourists as they can start visiting Shimla again with the reassurance of COVID-19 free services.
