Kashmir’s beautiful tulip and flower gardens are in full bloom, but the chances of a revival in the number of tourists remain bleak. As of now, the valley continues to suffer from limited internet access and partial shutdown. And with India on lockdown, it will be a long time before tourists, both domestic as well as international, return to the popular tourism state.
According to media reports, tour operators, hoteliers and houseboat owners, who have already lost money as tourist inflows fell to a 16-year low in 2019, will experience further loss in the coming months. Going by the bookings occupancy rates, the inflow would be less than 10% for March and April.
“On average, hotels and houseboats should have been 70% booked by now,” said Mir Anwar, president of Travel Agents Society of Kashmir, a lobbying body of over 120 agents.
“We have seen huge cancellations over the last few months and there is very little uptick now. Most tourists are unsure of staying in the valley with such limited access to the communication facilities.” Hamid Wangnoo, chairman of the Houseboat Owners Association in the valley, said they have been offering up to 50% discounts to woo visitors during the key season.
“We have been attending roadshows across India and trying to recreate awareness on Kashmir, especially for tourists in the far east, given that European governments have issued advisories to their citizens against travelling to the valley,” he said. “Demand is still very bleak.”
The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s assumption is that the hospitality and transport sector alone have lost business worth around $735 million between August and December.
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