Kashmir tourism shows signs of recovery after Pahalgam attack

Tourists are slowly returning to Kashmir after the terror attack in Pahalgam on 22 April that killed 26 people, mostly visitors. The attack caused panic and severely impacted tourism, a vital component of the region’s economy.

 

 

 

Many tourists left Kashmir immediately after the attack at Baisaran Meadow in Pahalgam, shocked to their core by the incident. But efforts by local tour operators, travel agents across India, and the Jammu and Kashmir government are starting to bring some tourists back.

 

Ghulam Nabi, president of the Pahalgam Transporters Association, told THE WEEK that around 400 tourist taxis operated in Pahalgam yesterday, visiting places like Betab Valley and Poshwan Park. “There are nearly 1,200 cab operators in Pahalgam, but since the attack, there has been very little work,” he said. “Now things are looking better.”

 

Shabir Ahmed Lone, owner of Hotel Pine Palace, also expressed hope. “Tourist numbers in Pahalgam are slowly rising, and our hotel has some guests again,” he said.

 

To attract visitors, businesses linked to tourism in Kashmir are offering discounts of up to 50 per cent on tour packages.

 

In Gulmarg, four-star hotels that usually charge Rs 16,000 per night with breakfast have cut their rates in half. There are 82 hotels in Gulmarg, including the five-star Khyber Resort, a few four-star properties, and the rest are three-star hotels.

 

Javid Ahmed, the reservation manager at Hotel Vintage, said, “For the last one week, tourist arrivals have improved. Currently, we have 40 per cent occupancy and we hope this will go up.” Sources also said that Khyber Resort is offering one free night to guests who stay for two nights.

 

Tour operators are hopeful that more tourists will visit soon, especially after the government reopened 16 out of 48 tourist spots that were closed due to security concerns after the attack, eight each in Jammu and Kashmir.

 

In Kashmir, the reopened places include Betab Valley, Pahalgam Market Park, Verinag Garden, Kokernag Garden, and Achabal Garden. These were opened for tourists from 17 June.

 

The April 22 attack led to large-scale cancellations and pushed the tourism industry into crisis. Many bookings were cancelled, and businesses suffered losses.

 

In response, the Indian Air Force carried out airstrikes on targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir under Operation Sindoor. This triggered tensions between India and Pakistan. After four days of conflict, both countries agreed to a ceasefire.

India