SRINAGAR: Planning to take a vacation? Look no further than the picturesque meadows, forests and lakes of Kashmir. And there is yet another reason for tourists to choose the Valley - hoteliers and houseboat owners are offering special discounts for tourists on Diwali.
What makes the deal sweeter is that most of these hotels are not at the higher end when it comes to room rates. Comparatively, top end hotels are fully occupied while the budget hotels have very less occupancy.
Kashmir Hotels and Restaurant Owners Federation president Abdul Wahid told this newspaper that budget and low-budget hotels were offering discounts to tourists for Diwali.
According to him, there are 62,000 hotel beds in the Valley of which about 50,000 are vacant. “Budget hotels are offering 40-50 per cent discount to the tourists on Diwali festival to attract more tourists to the Valley and increase occupancy in the hotels. We hope that the tourist arrivals will pick up this month,” Wahi said
Houseboat owners are also offering special discounts on the festive season. Houseboat Association Kashmir vice-president Manzoor Ahmad Pakhtoon said the houseboats were offering good discounts to the travellers on the festival. “We are offering a 40 per cent discount on the festival and hope that all the hoteliers will also follow suit. The stay in houseboats gives a unique experience to its occupants.”
Prices of the houseboats depending on the service can be accessed by tourists on various websites including those run by the Association.