Himanchal Pradesh: Rest houses of Forest Department are 30 percent cheaper, Eco Tourism Society’s decision on the instructions of CM
The State Eco Tourism Society has reduced the rent of rest houses and inspection huts of the Forest Department. There has been a reduction of 20 to 30 percent. Apart from this, tourists will now have to pay lower prices on trekking routes across the state. The big impact of this decision will be seen on international level trekking routes and sites in Dharamshala.
The tracking route has been reduced by up to 50 percent. Now tourists will be able to use these routes at half the fee. The Forest Department has decided to continue this exemption till February 29. It is noteworthy that the Forest Department has 94 rest houses and inspection huts in the state. Out of these, these orders of Eco Tourism Society will remain in force in 74 of them. You can book them through the website of the tourist department. The fare for one night stay in these ranges between Rs 784 to Rs 1750 including GST. But now under the Eco Tourism Society, tourists will get additional discount of up to 30 percent in the rest houses of the state. The second major decision has been taken by the Forest Department to reduce the entry fees on other trekking routes including Dharamshala. This cut has been made following the instructions of Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu. The Forest Department will now collect Rs 100 per day from the Tourism Department for entry into the registered sites, whereas earlier the fare for entry into the trekking sites was fixed at Rs 200 per person per day. Along with this, new rules have also been decided regarding setting up tents at trekking sites.
The fee for entering the trekking site including tent for two persons will now be Rs 550. Whereas earlier this fee was Rs 1100. Under the Himachal Pradesh Miscellaneous Adventure Activities Rules 2021, the Forest Department will not charge any fee from the registered local guides of miscellaneous adventure activities operators approved by the Tourism Department. This decision will help in encouraging registered guides as well as increase tourism activities in the area. Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu had issued instructions to the Forest Department in this regard. Actually, due to high prices, not many tourists were coming to the marked trekking sites. But now after the reduction, the possibility of increasing tourist inflow has arisen. The Forest Department has also reduced the prices in forest rest houses across the state. According to Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest Department Rajeev Kumar, this decision has been taken on the orders of Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu. The Forest Department is trying to attract tourists. With this decision, the inflow of tourists to the rest houses and trekking sites of the Forest Department is likely to increase.
