Tourism agents have demanded formulation of guidelines to sensitise tourists to the perils of high altitude travel during the winter like sickness and snowfall and stop drivers from planning quick itineraries for a fast buck.
The demand was discussed at the recent Bengal Travel Mart in the wake of reports that hundreds of tourists were left stranded and many fell ill following snowfalls during the current winter in Sikkim.
Tourist footfall has risen because of frequent snowfall in Sikkim and in many parts of the Darjeeling hills, including Tiger Hill and Sandakphu, during the current season.
The travel agents feel the trill of the chill at hilltops shouldn’t come at a cost.
“Thousands of tourists have gone to the high reaches of Darjeeling and Sikkim in winter to enjoy snowfall. On a number of occasions, they were stuck in Sikkim and had to be rescued by the Indian Army. Even at Sandakphu, some tourists were stranded. Many fell sick also due to inclement weather,” said Samrat Sanyal, the general secretary of the Himalayan Hospitality and Tourism Development Network.
According to the tour agents, it was fortunate there were no casualties through tourists had to spend in sub-zero temperatures.
“We feel more people will ascend the hills next year and hence, want both the Bengal and Sikkim governments to formulate guidelines for tourists. It will help tourists travel safely in extreme cold weather conditions. Many tourists make a dash for the mountains to enjoy the snow and eventually fall ill because of lack of acclimatisation. They don’t know the vagaries of nature,” said Sandipan Ghosh, the general secretary of the Eastern Himalaya Travel and Tour Operators’ Association.
A transporter in Siliguri said the guidelines should cover drivers, too.
“The guideline should mention the dos and don’ts for drivers also. Instead of carrying tourists to a height of say, 11,000ft, the drivers should make them understand the consequences. Tourists should be told that it is risky to drive vehicles in areas hit by snow. The guidelines will prevent drivers from undertaking risky rides for more earnings,” he said.
A representative of the Travel Agents’ Association of Sikkim said there were such guidelines for mountaineers but not for tourists in the Himalayan state.