JAISALMER: A large number of
tourists have arrived in
Jaisalmer to celebrate New Year’s. As many as 70%-80% of hotels and tent resorts have been booked, but due to the pandemic, only 35% international and 28% Indian tourists have come to the desert district. Due to a relatively lower tourist footfall, the hoteliers in the city have to suffer huge losses, but they are hoping for a good flow of tourists in 2021.
This year, New Year celebration will take place in Sam and Khuhadi Sam dunes and tent resorts of
Jaisalmer district. As per government guidelines, there will be night curfew from 8pm on December 31 to 6am on January 1.
Hotelier Mayank Kumar who owns a tent resort here said that a large number of tourists have come to Sam and the camel riders and Langa Manganiyars are elated. They have made special arrangements for New Year celebration. Many special dishes will be prepared. DJs have been called in, ‘Gala Party’ and Rajasthani folk dance programmes have been organised.
The pandemic however has disrupted the tourism business in Jaisalmer this year as till now, more than 1.16 lakh domestic tourists and more than 25,000 international tourists have arrived here and 1.28 lakh tourists have come from January to March. In the period from January to November, 16,061 tourists had come to the desert district. In December, thousands of tourists have arrived but with closure of international flights, fewer foreign tourists could come.
Meanwhile, large number of domestic tourists have come from Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat,
Maharashtra, New Delhi etc.