Tourism in Mussoorie has taken a severe hit following the April 22 terror incident in Kashmir’s Pahalgam, with local hotel and trade associations estimating a cumulative loss of ₹25 crore. Even though ceasefire terms have been declared between India and Pakistan, the region’s travel and hospitality sector has failed to regain momentum.
According to Sanjay Aggarwal, President of the Mussoorie Hotel Association, hoteliers have processed full refunds for all bookings cancelled after April 22. He revealed that only 30–35% of hotel rooms are booked for the remaining days of May, while advance bookings for June are hovering around 20–25%.
Sandeep Sahni, President of Hotels & Restaurants Association of Uttarakhand, echoed similar concerns and pegged the loss for Mussoorie hotel owners at approximately ₹24–25 crore. This figure does not include properties in nearby popular spots like Dhanaulti and Kempty.
Rajat Aggarwal, President of the Mussoorie Traders and Welfare Association, noted that the entire tourism-dependent economy of Mussoorie—spanning homestays, taxis, rental scooters, and rickshaws—has been deeply affected. He stated that local businesses have been struggling to return to normalcy, with many major picnic spots such as Bhatta Fall, Kempty Fall, George Everest, Company Garden, Gun Hill, Char Dukaan, Lal Tibba, Dhanaulti, and Buranshkhanda witnessing a stark decline in footfall.
As of Tuesday, hotel occupancy in Mussoorie remained low, averaging just 40–45%, a figure well below the usual seasonal expectations. The industry, already recovering from previous setbacks, now faces another wave of uncertainty just as the peak summer holiday season begins.