Pahalgam attack takes toll on summer tourism

Indore: The terror attack on tourists in Pahalgam in Kashmir has derailed the hopes of a booming travel business in the busy summer season with the hospitality sector raising concerns over flurry of cancellations for Kashmir and other holiday destinations in India.
The attack left tourists panicked and leaving the valley in mass from Kashmir, but travel agents claimed cancellation of bookings for other domestic destinations as well due to panic and fear.
Summers are the peak season for the travel industry generating employment opportunity for gig workers especially in the hilly areas.
Hemendra Singh Jadon, chairman of Travel Agents Association of India for Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh said, "Its one of the deadliest terror attacks in the Kashmir valley and it has impacted the whole travel industry in India. People are not only cancelling Kashmir plans but also other places due to panic. International travellers are enquiring about the situation in India and many have put their plans on hold."
A travel operator said a couple travelling from the United States to India put their plans on hold following the terror attack.
Travel operators said the panic amongst tourists has impacted bookings in hotels, rental cabs and home stays among other key players related to the tourism industry.
Another travel operator Pawan Chirani said, "This is an unfortunate incident where innocent lives were targeted. We are anguished and our heart goes out for the families of the victims. The impact of this attack will haunt for long because people are scared and cancellation of bookings have risen multi fold."
On Friday, more than 50 travel operators, hoteliers, employees of airlines and other stakeholders from the hospitality sector of Madhya Pradesh formed a human chain at Regal square and protested the terror attack in Pahalgam. Protestors raised slogans and displayed placards that read ‘This is an attack on all of us', ‘We support tourism, not terrorism'.