Rajasthan’s long weekend tourism washed out by rains and Udaipur violence

JAIPUR: The much-awaited extended weekend for the tourism industry turned out to be a dampener following prolonged torrential rains and violence in Udaipur.

Weekend tourists from the Delhi-NCR region, who drive down and throng destinations like Jaipur, Pushkar, Ranthambore, and Sariska, were held back by incessant downpours. Meanwhile, those from Gujarat had to cut short visits to Udaipur fearing a communal flare-up.

The stabbing of a Hindu boy by his Muslim classmate on Friday led to the torching of cars, ransacking of shops, and stone pelting. The city authorities had to impose a curfew.

Kumbhalgarh and Mt Abu, the next-door destinations for Gujaratis, benefited from the diversion of tourists from Udaipur, but the rush was muted.

Assessment by the stakeholders pointed to a lacklustre August that generally sets the tone and kicks off the tourist season from September. Hotel room rates, which follow a dynamic pricing model, did not see any increase, reflecting the flagging demand.

Ranvijay Singh, general secretary of the Federation of Hospitality and Tourism of Rajasthan (FHTR), said, “Compared to last year, this August turned out to be quieter. People could not reach by road or air during the long weekend that everybody was looking forward to. Trains did the heavy lifting, but they have a limitation.”

Singh said average daily rates did not see any uptick as hotels carried unsold rooms during the weekend. Reports by online hotel booking platforms said the pace of booking for the last quarter does not look buoyant.

“Forecasts for tourists’ arrivals are not very exciting for the December quarter. The slower pace of bookings indicates that. However, the wedding demand has increased significantly, which will be a saving grace,” added Singh.

While rains in Udaipur were not as furious as in other parts of the state, the violence made it worse for the sector.

Yashwardhan Ranawat, vice president of the Hotel Association Udaipur, said, “The destination was almost houseful before the weekend. But the incident suddenly upended everything. Not only did the tourists leave, but no new bookings are coming through now.”

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