Manali, a highly popular town in Himachal Pradesh, witnesses huge footfall during the winter season as tourists look forward to enjoying the snowfall with breathtaking views. However, a video is gaining significant attention on the internet, raising awareness about the “snow scam” in the city.
Viral ‘snow scam’ video from Manali
On Instagram, a tourist has shared a video claiming that local guides in the town were scamming visitors by offering them a tiny, artificially gathered patch of snow even when there was no natural snowfall in the surrounding area.
The viral clip shows several tourists trying to ski on the tiny strip of snow, while the rest of the place appears dry and rocky. It was shared by a person named Atul Chauhan along with the caption, “Scam”. It features a group of tourists trying to ski on a bare minimum of snow spread over the ground.
In the video, the person said he is in Manali and showed how “people here have scammed tourists like us”.
As the camera panned left and right to show the surrounding landscape, the person alleged that the local guides had thrown a handful of snow, while there was no snow visible except for the small patch.
The surrounding landscape highlights dry ground, rocks and hardly any snow except for the small area where tourists have been brought. The video has garnered over 11.7 million views on the social media platform.
Later on, the person shared another video revealing how “snow is being transported from other locations for tourists” to enjoy in the region.
Netizens react
In the comments section of the viral post, several other users expressed their views on the matter, with some criticising the local operators for misleading tourists, while others pointed out that this issue arose due to a lack of awareness regarding seasonal conditions.
“Isse jayda barf to mere fridge me he (I have more snow in my fridge than this),” one person wrote.
Another added, “Scam kya bhai, You choose to pay them and do it, bhai, don't you know it's snowfall time or not?”
Meanwhile, some users even suggested visiting Kashmir to enjoy the snowfall. A few people even stated that Manali does not receive snowfall year-round and further blamed tourists for visiting the town without doing any research.
FAQs
What is the Manali ‘snow scam’ shown in the viral video?
The video claims that tourists were taken to a small, artificially created patch of snow and charged for snow activities, despite there being no natural snowfall nearby.
Is Manali experiencing snowfall year-round?
No. Snowfall in Manali is seasonal, and visitors are advised to check weather conditions before planning winter activities.
