Employees of the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation have opposed the Himachal Pradesh government’s proposal to privatise eight state-run tourism properties, demanding the immediate withdrawal of the move and a one-time grant of ₹50 crore to modernise and upgrade the corporation’s hotel infrastructure.
In a memorandum submitted to Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, the HPTDC Employees Union urged the government to strengthen the corporation financially and administratively instead of pursuing privatisation.
Union General Secretary Raj Kumar Sharma said the proposed grant would be used to improve hotel infrastructure, modernise facilities and enhance promotional activities to attract more tourists. The union also called for filling vacant posts and allocating adequate funds for marketing and operational improvements.
According to the union, revitalising HPTDC through public investment would deliver better long-term results than transferring assets to private operators. It argued that improved infrastructure, stronger staffing and effective publicity would enhance the competitiveness of state-run hotels while supporting tourism growth.
The opposition comes as several state governments explore private participation in tourism assets to improve operational efficiency and attract investment. However, employee representatives maintain that strategic public funding and institutional strengthening remain the preferred path for reviving HPTDC’s hospitality portfolio and preserving public ownership of tourism infrastructure.
