With the recent spell of snowing continuing, the tourism industry in Darjeeling has recorded about ten per cent hike in tourist inflow in the past four days.

These tourists, mostly from Kolkata and other parts of the state, are making a beeline for the Queen of Hills so to catch up the snow-shower that has been cladding Darjeeling Hills beginning 26 January evening.

Adding to the tourists’ craze are the folks from Siliguri and the surroundings, who are no less enjoying the snowfall during day-outings to Darjeeling.

“Thanks to the instant and detailed media coverage, the prospective tourists are getting to know of the snowfall in Darjeeling in no time and are packing up for the Queen of Hills to witness the moment. By now, we have recorded about ten per cent hike in the tourist inflow and if the snowfall lingers, it would definitely shoot-up further,” said Mr Samrat Sanyal, a Siliguri based tour operator.

Adding further, he said that apart from the instant gains, the continuing flurries would help the local tourism industry in the long run as well. “It is for the consecutive second year now that Darjeeling is experiencing snowfall around this time in the calendar. Hence, the tour operators can design attractive tour packages and offer them to tourists in the coming years,” Mr Sanyal said.

Echoing the same, another Siliguri based tour operator Mr Soumitra Kundu said that had there been no political unrest and bandh threats hanging over Darjeeling, the hike in tourist inflow could be much more than ten per cent.

According to him, following the hike in tourist rush, the hotels in Darjeeling are currently witnessing a thirty-five per cent occupancy rate or so.

Meanwhile, much the pleasure of the tourism industry, the Tiger Hill in Darjeeling and other surrounding areas witnessed fresh rounds of snowfall this afternoon as the mercury dipped to minus 1.5 degree Celsius in the day.

Going by the meteorologists, the snow-shower would intensify in the next 24-hours and the main parts of Darjeeling town are likely to come under its ambit.
In Siliguri, the minimum temperature today was recorded at 8.9 degree Celsius.