IPL T-20 cricket matches to give boost to tourism

Tata IPL T-20 cricket matches to be held at the cricket stadium in Dharamsala next month are expected to provide the much-awaited boost to tourism during the tourist season that has just started on a slow note. While temperatures are soaring in the hills as well, these matches are probably the only hope left to attract tourists in large numbers. All three cricket matches to be played on May 4, 8 and 11 are likely to attract huge crowds as the host team Punjab Kings will feature in every contest.

According to local hoteliers, enquiries and a few advance bookings have started to appear but the actual rush is expected once the sale of tickets starts. Sanjiv Gandhi, general secretary of the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Smart City Dharamsala, is concerned over the slow pace of the tourist season this year.

He has pinned high hopes on these matches, which, according to him, will break all previous records. His optimism stems from the fact that the Punjab Kings team playing on this ground is doing very well in the tournament this year.

Avnish Parmar, secretary of the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA), exhibits a lot of optimism and says, “The Dharamsala Cricket Stadium, owing to its panoramic location, has a huge designated fan-followings spread all over the country. The academy has successfully hosted big matches in the past and the upcoming Tata IPL T-20 matches will once again breathe a new life into the tourism sector in Kangra district and other places in the state.”

He feels that two matches fixed on Sunday are likely to revitalise tourism. The Punjab Kings team challenging the might of Lucknow Super Giants, Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians at the Dharamsala cricket ground with snow-covered Dhauladhars against the backdrop will be the most ideal situation for tourism to bloom.

Himachal Tribune