Israel-Iran War hits Himachal's Tourism; Foreign tourist arrivals to Dharamshala likely to dip amid flight cancellations

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], March 2 (ANI): The recent Israel-Iran war is affecting the arrival of foreign tourists in Himachal Pradesh. Hundreds of flights were cancelled on the first of March due to the war, and the airspace to the Middle East is still closed.
The tourism industry in Himachal Pradesh expects a number of tourists' arrivals from the month of March, but the recent situation is certainly going to affect the business activities here.
Prem Sagar, a Tour organiser in Dharamshala, told ANI, "It is not for the first time we are facing such a situation. We have seen such types of situations, and in the past, it has also affected us very badly. So whatever expectations are there, I think from the Middle East world and part of Europe as well, which was economically settled but which was coming out of that shock, so they are very vigilant people. All the good people they would not prefer to travel and looking at the situation people are stranded at various airports... the governments do not stand as a guarantee for their safeguard and security so in such situation who would like to come out of their houses perhaps very few or those who are in very urgent otherwise it's going to have a big flop, this is what the fear is and we have to count our own domestic tourism and we have to forget about the international tourists..."
Over 30,000 foreign tourists have visited the North Indian hill town of Dharamshala during the year 2025, which is the highest number since the Covid-19 pandemic.
People also visit Dharamshala for various spiritual activities here because of the presence of the Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama. Now the war will also have an impact on foreigners who come here to see the Tibetan spiritual leader.
Karma Yesh, an exiled Tibetan official, told ANI, "The war not only impacts the local people there, but it has a global impact throughout the world. So that is why I think it is high time for the world leaders to have a dialogue with each other, and to resolve the issue with peace and humanity. Lots of tourist from have struck because flights to the West Asia region are cancelled and that is the route for other parts of the world so that is why it will have an impact not only in Dharamsala but all over the world. People who come to see his holiness the Dalai Lama from that part of the world will definitely have some sort of hindrance here and there." (ANI)