Shimla: The travel agencies and agents form the backbone of the hospitality industry of Himachal Pradesh accounting for over 7% of the state GDP. As the hospitality sector is growing and contributing to the state revenues, the number of travel agencies is proliferating at an equal pace.
Though there are thousands of travel agencies and agents are operational in the state, some deserve special mention for their contribution to boosting the tourism industry.
Naveen Paul is one such person. Born and brought up in Shimla, Naveen entered the hospitality industry at the tender age of 14 years when the hospitality industry was in a nascent stage.
After completing his schooling at the Sanatan Dharam (SD) and Government Boys Senior Secondary School Lalpani, Naveen started working as a tour guide at Shimla’s Kali Bari Mandir in 1991.
By 1996, he registered his own travel agency by the name of ‘Pal Tour and Travel’ that operated by the same name until 2001.
Thereafter, Naveen rebranded his agency to the Himachal Pradesh Helpline Tourism (HPHT) Pvt. Ltd.
Presently HPHT enjoys the reputation of being one of the oldest, most experienced, and fully licensed inbound and outbound travel agencies of the state.
The HPHT is also serving as a General Sale Agent of the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation.
His experience elevated him to the position of the president of the ‘Travel Agent Association Shimla’ in 2008. The agency is also a member of the Shimla Airport Authority. Naveen said
“It’s about our expert knowledge and network of friends across the world that ensure reality exceeds the expectations of our clients”.
Way back in 1993, Naveen started promoting the Kinnaur region as the next travel destination when the total number of hotels and homestays in that region was under 5. Today Kinnaur is a hotbed for travellers from India and abroad and the number of hotels and homestays has surpassed 100 figure – thanks to his ambition and vision that made it a popular holiday destination in Himachal.
Indeed, the footfall of Bengali tourists in Kinnaur witnessed such massive growth that HPHT established an office in Kolkata to serve better Bengali tourists.
Himachal Pradesh Helpline Tourism runs guided tours and road trips across lesser-known trails of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, and Uttarakhand.
Some of the bespoke itineraries offered by HPHT include:
Road trips and sightseeing tours to Barot, Janjehli and Chindi Valley of Mandi district – Explore least visited valleys of Himachal. Witness the colonial heritage (Shanan Power House) and savour trout fishes in Barot valley.
Shimla – Manali adventure package – Revel in adventure sports like skiing, ice-skating, paragliding, zorbing, and gondola ride.
Delhi – Manali Volvo package (The Manali sightseeing trip) – A travel package that offers a wholesome experience and the affordability of traveling to Manali in a Volvo bus. It also includes outdoor adventures like skiing, paragliding, and hiking to places near Manali town.
Spiti Valley circuit tour – Experience the tribal vibes of Spiti in the circuit tour itinerary listing popular places like Sangla, Rakcham, Chitkul, Kalpa, Nako, and Kaza. Another highlight of this itinerary is driving through the Atal tunnel and ending the tour at Manali.
Shimla Weekend Trips – Shimla and places near the capital city like Fagu, Kufri, Mashobra and Tatapani are the perfect weekend destinations for people living in Punjab, Delhi and NCR region. HPHT offers sightseeing and leisure tours to these weekend destinations. Authentic homestays and colonial heritage walks to Shimla’s most iconic and historic places make these tours stand out from the rest.
Authentic Homestay Experiences around Shimla: In a bid to support eco-tourism and contribute to the local economy, HBHT is promoting homestays located near Shimla city. Homestay tours offered by HPHT are the best fit for people seeking solitude and tranquillity. The icing on the cake is Wi-Fi or 4G high-speed internet connectivity offered at all homestays to promote work while vacationing.
Ladakh Tours: Ladakh tour itineraries by HPHT includes Leh market sightseeing, visit to Nubra Valley, Pangong Lake, Chemrey Gompa, Tso-Morori Lake, Thiksey and Hemis Gompa.
Cultural Tours: HPHT offers cultural and heritage tours with a tinge of village homestay experiences and festival tours in Himachal and Ladakh.
In 25 years of service, HPHT opened new regions and avenues of offbeat travel to the rest of the world.
HPHT offers following services under one roof:
- Hotel booking
- Car rental
- Guided tour fixed itinerary travel packages
- Guided tour customized travel packages
- Business travel packages
- Experiential tours
- Honeymoon tours
About Himachal Pradesh Helpline Tourism Pvt Ltd (HPHT)
HPHT is a trusted, passionate travel company that creates customized luxury travel packages to inspiring destinations in Hamachi and Ladakh. HPHT packages are completely based around interests and schedule of travellers.
Being voted the #1 travel company in the area for the past 25 years in hospitality, services and transport, HPHT offers personalized attention to leisure and business travellers through specialized services via a large network of hotels, homestays, and car rentals.
HPHT contact details
Shimla office:
Phone: +91 98160 26770 / +91 98306 26770
Email: [email protected]
Kolkata office:
Phone: 033 2212 4007 / +91 98306 26770
Email: [email protected]
