With Himachal Pradesh's hotel occupancy rate at almost zero per cent after the recent monsoon fury, the hotel association has announced a 50 per cent discount on room tariffs to woo back tourists and a minister said it was "safe" to travel to the state now.

The tourism industry was recovering after the COVID-19 pandemic and recorded one crore six thousand tourist footfalls in the first half of 2023, but the havoc wreaked by heavy rains and floods during the month of July resulted in negligible tourist footfall and thousands of bookings were cancelled.

The monsoon is a lean tourist season and the occupancy rate falls to 30 to 40 per cent but this time hotels are empty. Not only private hotels are offering huge discounts, but the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation has also announced a 50 percent discount on room rents till September 15.

The hotel industry has announced a 50 percent discount to tourists and roads are being restored and there is nothing to worry about, Federation of Himachal Hotels and Restaurant Associations president Ashwani Bamba told PTI on Saturday.

"We are hoping that the tourist inflow will gradually increase by September." In a video released here on Saturday, Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh said that the situation is becoming normal and Himachal is safe to travel now.

"I assure tourists that things are coming back to normal and Himachal Pradesh is safe to travel now. You can come to enjoy the natural beauty of the state and the government would make all efforts to ensure that your stay is safe and all facilities are provided to you," he said in a video.

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The state government had safely evacuated about 75,000 tourists from different parts of the state recently. Videos of landslides blocking roads, tourists stranded, floods damaging buildings, sweeping vehicles and roads caving in causing enormous damage to life and property have gone viral since July 9 and as a result, tourists are apprehensive about travelling to the hill state during the ongoing monsoon.

So far, 184 persons have died in rain-related incidents and road accidents since June 24 when the monsoon hit the state. Thirty-three people are missing as per the state emergency response centre.