Darjeeling hospitality industry hit by unrest

Formation of the Gorkhaland Janmukti Morcha and the ensuing agitation for a separate Gorkhaland have had a debilitating effect on the local industry. Worst-hit is the hospitality industry — the lifeline of the region — including tour package operators, the hotel business and other auxiliaries.

“About 70 per cent of our bookings from 24 May to 5 June were cancelled due to the strike. We have lost Rs 25,000-30,000 everyday due to that,” said Suren Llama, owner of Hotel Zodiac in Darjeeling.

The continuing strikes and violence have had cascading effects on small and budget hotels, as well as large upscale hotels.

The sentiment is echoed by travel agencies and tour package operators in Kolkata. “Every year during peak season a total of about 40-55 families visit the area in tours we arrange. This totals about 350-400 people. This year we have received no bookings at all until now, and there seem to be little or no prospects of the season seeing an improvement,” said Devender Parekh, owner of India Travel Pro.

Interestingly, though, it is not the larger tour operators who face the brunt of the problem. “People who want to go on vacation will go anyway, if not to Darjeeling then to Mussoorie. It is always the hospitality businesses based in the physical boundaries of the area that face maximum impact,” Parekh said.