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Hotel and Guest House Tariff Increase by 10%

By Tashi Morup
Leh, November 28: The Member of Legislative Assembly, Nubra, Pintoo Narboo is going to make a presentation at the Tourism Conclave to be held in Srinagar on November 30, where he would raise the issues and demands concerning tourism in Ladakh in the presence the J&K Chief Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad.

Meanwhile, Hotel and Guest House Association of Ladakh have announced increase in tariff by 10 percent. The hike in tariff have come about after two years in view of increasing pressure on the hoteliers and guest house owners due to fresh imposition of VAT and Entry tax and competition getting stiff with growing tourism industry that demands better standard.

The decision was taken recently and the LAHDC, Chief Executive Councillor, Tsering Dorjay has endorsed their demands considering the 10 percent hike as justified. As per the increased tariff the cost of a double room in an A Class Hotel is rupees 2970 and rupees 2420 for single room.

One extra bed means 1188 rupees more and for the suite price is almost double. The tariff of course goes down for other hotel categories accordingly. The maximum price for the Guest House double-bed room is 385 rupees and minimum is 88 rupees.

All Ladakh Tour Operators Association (ALTOA) have, however, expressed concern not only over the hike but also delay in making the announcement which has affected travel agencies who have already sent rate quotations to the future groups.

booked tourist groups on the basis of previand . The Joint Secretary, ALTOA, Tsering Namgyal, said, the total increment in the tariff is 25 percent in the last three years, which has added to the burden of exorbitant rise in air fares.

“This comes out very expensive, which is not just for the tourism itself,” he said. Meanwhile, the tourist influx this season has crossed the previous records with the figure standing at 37677 by October end including 24366 foreign and 13310 domestic despite considerably decreased flight operations relatively.

Looking at the trend, ALTOA and representatives of different communities have decided to send a delegate to New Delhi to press for more flights plus additional operations of Spice jet and Decan Airlines, which have already started their operations in Jammu and Srinagar. The delegate is likely to meet the concerned ministry in New Delhi through the MP Ladakh Thupstan Chhewang.

Entry fees for foreign stopped

By Tashi Morup
Leh, May 19:The tourism department Leh today organised a workshop for the taxi drivers in order to acquaint them with the need to be professional in service and maintain the tradition of sincerity in their service. The workshop was held at Choglamsar and various experts including the Chairman LAHDC was invited as resource speakers.

The number of taxis have in Leh have increased to over 800 with more coming in with the tremendous increase in tourism as witnessed last years record number of nearly 40000 including both domestic and foreign. All Ladakh Travel and Tour Operators Association, Rigzin Spalbar revealed that this time until now 6 percent increase in foreign tourists inflow have been observed while there has been 15 percent decrease in domestic influx.

In view of growing tourism industry in Ladakh the need to bring in professionalism in various tourist related services is seriously felt and in order to sensitise on it a special daylong workshop for the taxi drivers was organised by the J&K Tourism Department Leh today at Choglamsar.

Moreover, he said, with only a short season with limited number of tourists visiting here in Ladakh it is too soon to charge levy. There are some low budget foreign tourists for whom even the present amount is too high though majority might not have problem paying it.

Another problem with the levy is the ambiguity about the objective of the entry fees. It is feared that the money earned would be lost if it is submitted to the treasury instead of using the money exclusively for environmental cleanliness especially around trekking routes as decided earlier in different meetings.

Looking at the profits through this levy the neighbour district Kargil will follow suite. In that case the number of check posts increases and the amount of levy doubles. These things were also not taken into account while taking such decision, said Spalbar.

The Deputy Commissioner, Leh, Satish Nehru has said in a press statement that the Hill Council took this decision in view of the apprehension among the local tour operators that entry fees would impede the tourism business.

The council also decided to keep in abeyance the charging rupees 800 for restricted areas including Tsomo ri ri and Pangong Lakes, Nubra valley and Dha Hanu. The decision to levy the entry fees were taken far back in 1999, but it was implemented only recently.

A month after charging the levy of rupees 400 some 1,50,000 rupees have been collected, said the press statement adding that the tourists were happy paying the amount.

Taxi Drivers Towards Professionalism, A workshop to tell them the needs

Some 700 taxi drivers attended the workshop presided over by the LAHDC Chairman, Rigzin Spalbar. Newly joined SSP Leh, Alok Kumar, Veteran Physician Specialist Dr. Tsering Nurbu and representatives of Gonpa association, local travel related agencies were invited as resource people.

The meeting deliberated upon the importance of ethics, sincerity and professionalism among the taxi drivers and later Urgyan Lundup, Dy. Director, Tourism presented the resolutions to be abided by the drivers in dealing with the tourists.

The drivers agreed on all the points except for dress code or uniform for the drivers. They called it impractical to have a dress code in Ladakh for its harsh climate, however, they also felt that such dress code should be applied also to hoteliers, travel agents etc.

Earlier, reacting to the strong suggestions coming from the speakers to have a uniform for the drivers and equally fervent protest from the drivers Chairman LAHDC expressed that to be realistic the decision on this issue should be voluntary not mandatory as the law suggests.

Another important decision made during the workshop was to train every driver in first aid service and every taxi will have the emergency medical kit. The LAHDC will sponsor such training based on this proposal made by Dr. Tsering Nurbu. Dr. Nurbu also felt the importance of training the drivers in rescue measures to meet the emergency situations tourists often get caught up in.

He said that the Taxi Union is a large and organised group that makes it manageable. This is an advantage for the taxi drivers in playing a major role tourism industry, he said adding that they could be the ambassadors of Ladakh by leaving a lasting impression on tourists from all over the world.

Earlier, the President Taxi Operators Union, Nawang Tsering in his address told that at present over 800 taxis operate in Leh and 450 more will add to this number soon. He said, in 30 years of tourism in Ladakh there is hardly any serious incidence of violation by any taxi driver unlike in other parts of India.

He also mentioned about the taxi driver Stanzin, who helped in catching the theft of a valuable antique from a Gonpa in Gya village last summer. Similarly, there are several instances of drivers getting extra perks from the tourists for his mannerism. SSP Alok Kumar in this regard suggested to have a feed back form available with every taxis and on the basis of feedback from the tourists the best driver should be suitably awarded.

This was well accepted and further Chairman Spalbar added that not only the best driver but also in this way the unscrupulous elements among the drivers community could be traced and penalised.

Entry fees for foreign tourist stopped

By Tashi Morup
Leh, May 07: Following the tour operators of Leh raising objections against charging levy of rupees 400 from the foreign tourists visiting Leh the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Leh, has decided to stop it and keep it suspended until next move.
With this charging of entry fees at the airport has stopped.

The tour operators complained of several loopholes in the entry fees system that was made without consulting them. The President, All Ladakh Travel and Tour Operators Association (ALTOA), T Spalbar Goba said this to KT.

There are possible chances harassment at the check posts where tourists have to show the Entry Card in case this card is lost, he said. It can cause lot of inconvenience to non-tourist passengers also, which the administration never thought of, Spalbar said.

A month after charging the levy of rupees 400 some 1,50,000 rupees have been collected, said the press statement adding that the tourists were happy paying the amount.

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