Hotels and tour operators see flurry of cancellations

Fear Factor Kicks In

- AKSHARA SRIVASTAVA & DHRUVAKSH SAHA New Delhi, 23 April

Tourism took the hardest hit in Jammu & Kashmir (J&K), with the majority of hotels and tour operators seeing their bookings cancelled in the aftermath of the terror attack in Pahalgam's Baisaran, popularly known as 'mini Switzerland', where 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed.

The state, which had seen a record number of tourist arrivals over the past few years, with 2024 recording the highest at 23.5 million tourists, an average of more than 1.9 million a month, is currently under a hardened security cover, with many tourists stranded.

Pahalgam, Gulmarg, and other tourist hotspots, which usually see the highest footfall during the peak months of April and May, are now looking at a near-exodus of tourists.

Hotels based in Pahalgam have seen a spate of cancellations in the wake of the tragedy.

"We have seen over 100 cancellations for the coming weeks. With almost 50 rooms, most are vacant currently, and the few rooms that are occupied will be vacated by Wednesday night itself," said the general manager at a five-star property in Pahalgam.