‘Over 1000 bookings cancelled’
Over thousand bookings were cancelled in the wake of the five civilian killings in Kupwara district earlier this month with the tourism industry witnessing 40 percent decline in tourist arrivals, according to the local tour operators.
President Travel Agents Society of Kashmir (TASK), Mohammad Ibrahim Siah told Kashmir POST that the civilian killings in Handwara and Kupwara hit the tourism sector badly “as 30 to 40 percent of tourism related businesses was lost due to the cancellation of advanced bookings by the tourists”.
“Though the season had started on a good note with the arrival of domestic tourists as well as foreigners, the Handwara incident played spoilsport and impacted tourism sector badly,” said Siah.
“We had bookings up to May and June as huge number of tourists had planned to visit valley, but most of them cancelled their bookings due to unpleasant situation in Kupwara district,” he added.
Siah said though the arrival had not been good since 2014, but it had started to pick up from April beginning.
Noted tour operator Rauf Tramboo said over 1000 bookings were cancelled by tourists who called off their trips to the Valley due to civilian killings in Kupwara.
Tramboo accused mainstream Indian media for “playing negative role and projecting Kashmir in a bad way”
He said Indian media’s coverage has always proved as a stumbling block in the way of Kashmir tourism.
“Media creates scare on every issue and project Kashmir in such way as if the valley is unsafe for the tourists. Though there was good tourist arrival in the beginning of the month, thousands of domestic tourists canceled their bookings after the unfortunate Handwara incident,” Tramboo said.
President, Travel Agent Association of Kashmir (TAAK), Manzoor Sidique said most of the tourists, who had booked their tickets through web portal including Make My Trip, cancelled their Kashmir trip over the Handwara episode.
“Tourists are always safe here; those who were present in many parts of Valley during the Handwara incident were safe and enjoyed their Kashmir trip,” he said.
He urged tourists not to get scared and feel safe while traveling to the Valley.
“Tourist should not cancel their bookings as Kashmiris have always served them with best hospitality. Tourists were not hurt even during the unrest in 2008 and 2010,” he added.
