DEHRADUN: The burgeoning adventure tourism sector in Uttarakhand is facing an uphill climb this season, as escalating geopolitical tensions, specifically the conflict between the United States and Iran, have triggered a sharp decline in foreign bookings.
Tour operators across the state, typically bustling with inquiries and reservations by this time of year, report an eerie silence. For many, the peak season, which usually sees a steady influx of trekkers from the United States, the United Kingdom, Israel, and across Europe, has yet to materialise.
“Usually, we see our highest volume of bookings from international groups by March,” said Jayendra Rana, President of the Garhwal Mountaineering Trekking Association. “This year, not only have the new inquiries dried up, but existing bookings are either being placed on indefinite hold or cancelled outright. We haven’t even received basic requests for information from our usual client bases in the US and Europe,” he said.
The impact is not limited to international tourism. Domestic expedition operators are simultaneously grappling with supply chain disruptions, citing shortages of essential fuel, gas, and kerosene, resources critical for high-altitude trekking groups.
While the local administration had promised to open the mountaineering season by April 1, offering a glimmer of hope for a profitable year, the shadow of global instability has created a pervasive sense of uncertainty. Historically, the region welcomes over 10,000 foreign mountaineers and trekkers annually, acting as a crucial economic driver for local communities.
Industry experts argue that the geopolitical climate is compounding existing structural challenges.
Shashi Bahuguna, an accomplished mountaineer who has scaled peaks including Bandarpunch (6,316 metres), believes the state government’s approach is exacerbating the crisis.
“In the past, Uttarakhand was teeming with international trekkers and climbers,” Bahuguna noted. “However, the state government has introduced so many bureaucratic complexities into the system that even international adventurers are being discouraged. Himalayan peaks are a lifelong dream for mountaineers from countries like the US, Canada, Sweden, and Switzerland. It is their preferred destination, yet the administrative hurdles are turning them away. The government needs to adopt a more flexible, climber-friendly policy.”
This sentiment is echoed by Karan Kaushik, founder of Alpinist Expedition Pvt Ltd, who has scaled the Ama Dablam peak (6,812 metres) in Nepal’s Khumbu region.
“This year, we have certainly felt a significant dip in the number of American mountaineers visiting India, largely due to travel advisories issued by the US government,” Kaushik explained.