A tourist rush during the ongoing long weekend has led to traffic congestion in several key destinations in Himachal Pradesh, with hotel occupancy in major tourist centres ranging between 60 and 80 per cent, a tourism industry representative said on Saturday.Gajender Thakur, president of the Federation of Himachal Hotels and Restaurant Association (FOHHRA), said that tourist arrivals have surged during the long weekend, with many visitors travelling to popular destinations in the state.Long queues of vehicles were seen on roads, resulting in traffic snarls in hill resorts including Manali, Dharamshala and Shimla.“We had requested the state government to constitute and deploy tourist protection police on stretches where traffic jams are frequent for the convenience of tourists as well as locals,” Thakur said.Tourism operators in Manali reported a significant rise in tourist arrivals over the past two days, resulting in long vehicle queues.They said both tourists and locals were facing difficulties due to traffic congestion and urged the administration to take measures to ease the situation.A tourist said traffic congestion had become a regular issue at popular tourist destinations.Heavy traffic congestion with long queues of cars, vans and tourist buses on the roads of Manali as the hill town witnesses a massive tourist rush during the long weekend. Video grab: ANI“We came for a two-day visit to Shimla, but traffic moves at a snail’s pace and getting parking is not easy,” said Ashok, a tourist from Delhi.In Kangra district, the police have strengthened traffic and security arrangements following an increase in tourist footfall in McLeod Ganj, Dharamshala and Bir-Billing, Superintendent of Police Kulbhushan Verma said.Additional police personnel have been deployed in McLeod Ganj, Dharamkot and Bhagsu, and officers at the SHO and DSP levels are personally overseeing traffic management, he said.Special arrangements have also been made for the safety of tourists heading to the Triund trek, Verma said.A Quick Reaction Team has been deployed in McLeod Ganj to handle emergencies.Action is also being taken against abruptly parked vehicles, while police and Home Guard personnel have been deployed at intervals of 100 to 150 metres, officials said.A large number of tourists take a stroll at the Ridge in Shimla on Saturday. Tribune photo: Lalit Kumar