Shimla, July 12 -- In the wake of torrential rains, flash floods, and landslides during the last week of June and the first ten days of July, Himachal Pradesh's tourism sector has suffered a setback not just from nature's fury, but also due to what officials described as "misleading social media reports" that exaggerated the extent of the damage across the state.

According to the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) officials, tourist footfall dropped by an estimated 8-10 per cent during this 15-day window, as widespread cancellations were triggered "by panic-inducing posts on various digital platforms". Though the brunt of the rainfall damage was limited to parts of Mandi district, the perception created online paint...