Shimla, March 17 -- The Himachal Pradesh Travel Agents' Association (HPTAA), representing travel agencies across the state, petitioned the Election Commission of India, showing concern regarding the potential impact of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections on Himachal Pradesh's tourism industry.
President of HPTAA Budhi Prakash Thakur and Secretary Suresh Sharma said in a letter sent to ECI on Sunday that the election should be scheduled in the first phase in Himachal Pradesh, as it was fixed on the seventh and last phase on June 1.
HPTAA claimed that during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, scheduling Himachal's elections in the final phase had a demonstrably negative effect on tourism.
"Prolonged campaigning and frequent rallies discouraged tou...