Shimla, Dec 28 (IANS): After a long wait, the Himachal Pradesh capital and its nearby destinations witnessed overnight snow with tourists making merry by hurling snowballs at one another, officials said on Monday.

Hoteliers have cheered up with the snowfall in the hope that tourists will come in large numbers on the New Year's Eve.

Tourist spots near Shimla, such Kufri, Fagu and Narkanda also experienced snowfall, making the hill stations even more picturesque.

Even Dharampur in Solan district experienced snowfall. So did picturesque tourist resorts Kasauli and Chail in the district.

As news of the snowfall spreads, more tourists will flock to Shimla, known for the imperial grandeur of its buildings that were once institutions of power when the town served as the summer capital of British India, and other destinations.

Likewise, Manali and its uphill Solang ski slopes and Kalpa, 250 km from the state capital, saw snowfall.

A weatherman told IANS Shimla and its nearby tourist destinations have good snow cover and would stay covered in snow for the next few days.

He said the western disturbances are expected to recede by December 29, and the weather would be dry after that.