By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Tourists are having a harrowing time getting accommodations in the town prior to ensuing New Year celebrations.
The problem has been there since Christmas. Many tourists have to either reschedule their visit to Shillong or cancel their trip, said officials of hotels and guest houses in the city.
Speaking to The Shillong Times, three families from Kolkata who wanted to experience Christmas and New Year here said that they have to stay in Guwahati since they are unable to get any accommodation in the town. “Wherever we contacted, we got a “no” or a “sorry” in reply,” said one of them. These three families now plan to visit the tourist sites here from Guwahati.
Like them other tourists who want to visit Shillong now are a dejected lot. “I am disappointed. I don’t know that the situation gets this busy; now I have to cancel my trip,” said an MP tourist who was holidaying here last month and wanted to come again during the New Year.
Another tourist from Tripura said he has rescheduled his trip by a month due to the packed situation in hotels and guest houses, here.
It is learnt that some guest houses are booked till January 31 whereas some will be vacant by mid January with the conclusion of the New Year.
The conditions of hotels are similar as most hotels have closed their bookings and are only taking orders beyond the New Year season.
Some tourists have also said that the culture of “private home stays” is not seen here. “Such sharing actually goes a long way in mitigating the scarcity that arises in guest houses/hotels during the festive season,” said a tourist from South India.
Meanwhile, owners/managers of hotels and guest houses said that the trend during the festive season here is so for the last many years, now.
“Tourists who know generally do their booking well in advance,” said an hotelier from Police Bazaar.
An executive of another hotel from Police Bazaar said that their rooms are booked February first week and it is very difficult to get any accommodation during this time if there is no advance booking. “We are getting huge calls from eager tourist who want to visit here during the winter but there is not enough accommodation in the city to cater to the requirements,” said the hotelier who is echoed by fellow hoteliers from Police Bazaar.
Other hotels and guest houses said that though there are numerous enquiries by tourists but cannot help them out since it is high time.
“We always advise our customers to book rooms, say two to three months, in advance in order to avoid mad rush just before the festive season,” said a front office manager of a hotel in Keating Road.