SEASON OF TROUBLE

Kashmir's booming tourism industry comes to a grinding halt

- BY BADAR BASHIR/ SRINAGAR

A houseboat owner gazes across the serene waters of Dal Lake, his cheek resting against a wooden pillar. After a moment, he breaks his silence. “Nobody can stop tourists from coming to Kashmir,” he says. “They'll return soon and make this lake a beautiful garden again.”

Dal Lake, spanning 20sqkm, is framed by snow-capped mountains and white clouds under the blue sky. “A thousand yellow shikaras once paraded the lake,” says Yousuf, a shikara operator, counting the few remaining boats. “Now, there are less than 10.” Most shikaras are docked, their operators looking for the rare local visitor.

Latief Ahmad Goona, a houseboat owner, explains how the Pahalgam attack hit people like him. “Tourists were in disbelief, but their relatives urged them to leave,” he says. “Within three days, nearly all shikaras were docked.” Goona's four houseboats, with 12 rooms priced at ₹6,000 a night each, are empty. “I refunded 60 customers, and there are no new bookings.”