Shimla: Following a fresh spell of snowfall in parts of Himachal Pradesh, tourists from northern India have started rushing to Shimla.
Thousands of tourists are visiting Kufri and also the highest Mahsu Peak, which is situated at an altitude of 9500 feet above sea level.
Notably, the sudden snowfall in the region has resumed business in the area, which was on hold due to a dry spell. A large number of tourist visits in the area have led to locals getting jobs.
"We are enjoying it and feeling very good. I am skiing for the first time. The weather is very good. We are skiing, tube sliding, and ice skating. It is fun. Everyone should come and enjoy skiing here," said Ritika, a tourist from Mumbai.
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"It is my first time here. It's amazing and everyone should come here and enjoy it. It's fun to be here in the snow," said Shweta, another tourist from Mumbai.
"We are doing it and it is wonderful. I fell and got up, learned it several times and it's good to learn it; it's thrilling. Everyone should learn it and come here. I am happy to be here for the second time," said Roshan, a tourist from Chandigarh.
Meanwhile, locals also have expressed excitement as they expect good business to continue until March.
"After a long time, we received snowfall here in February. Generally, we get snowfall in January, and we are feeling good enough to conduct skiing, adventure activities, tube slide horseback riding, etc. We are receiving a tourist rush from all parts of India. We are guiding them and they are feeling satisfied," said Deepak Verma, a local tourist guide.
"In the days to come, we are expecting snowfall on the 14th and 15th and we will be able to conduct the snow activities until March. We appeal to the tourists to come. We will be happy to guide them," added Deepak.
As per the data from the state tourism department, nearly 17,20,000 tourists thronged the state in 2019, including 4,00,000 foreign tourists, a jump of nearly 5 per cent in comparison to the year 2018.
An economy of over Rs 11,000 crore is generated in the state of Himachal Pradesh in the tourism sector and it is considered a backbone for the economy in the state, which contributes to 7.3 per cent of the state GDP. (ANI)
