The Atal Tunnel in Rohtang has proved to be a boon for the tourism industry in Lahaul-Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh. The tourist arrival has jumped from 1,32,983 in 2019 to 9,60,952 in 2021, a massive rise of 622.6 per cent.
The tunnel was thrown open to the public on October 3, 2020. However, Lahaul-Spiti’s gain is a loss for Kullu-Manali, which saw a sharp decline in tourist arrival from 31,59,411 in 2019 to 16,47,581 in 2021.
Reeling under Covid, Himachal’s tourism industry is on the recovery path with the tourist inflow registering an increase of 75.43 per cent in 2021 as compared to the preceding year. The arrival of foreign tourists, however, witnessed a sharp decline of 88.67 per cent.
