Valley witnesses over 50% dip in tourist arrivals
Tourist arrivals to Kashmir have witnessed sharp decline, with stakeholders blaming mainstream electronic and print media for creating a perception of war-like situation in the valley.
There has been a dip of 53 percent in the tourist footfall in the month of April as compared to last year, according to official figures of tourism department.
A total of 67181 tourists visited valley in April 2017 compared to 142761 during the corresponding period last year.
As per the official figures, 403442 tourists visited valley in the first four months of 2016 (till April 31) as compared to 181102 during the corresponding period this year, marking a sharp dip of 56 percent.
The tourist footfall was even higher (290154) in April 2015 notwithstanding the fact that the valley had witnessed devastating floods a few months back.
Stakeholders are now fearing a washout this year mainly owing to the “scary and misleading” media coverage of the ground situation in the state.
The fears of tourism industry stakeholders were also echoed by union finance minister Arun Jaitley last week during his press conference on GST where he said the situation in Kashmir depicted by media houses is completely different from ground situation in the valley.
Senior officials in the tourism department also blame mainstream media for its agenda against tourism sector of the valley.
A senior official of tourism department, wishing anonymity, said, “We have been doing promotional events on our part but then it is like fighting a mountain. Even the Chief Minister had appealed national media to desist from debating Kashmir every day and from presenting a gruesome picture contrary to the reality.”
“But ironically the situation hasn’t improved and it seems that there are vested interests behind this propaganda,” the official added.
Deputy Director Tourism Department Kashmir, Riyaz Ahmad said, “The department on its part has been organizing events like screening of a film Sarghoshiyan along with Shikara festival and even road shows outside the state.”
Secretary General of Travel Agents Association Kashmir (TAAK) Farooq Kuthoo believes that Indian electronic media is being used as a tool to “malign and crush” tourism sector of the valley “under a well-orchestrated plan”.
Farooq fears that travel operators who have business interests in other tourist destinations like Himachal Pradesh “are also adding fuel to fire through paid news items which create a perception of war-like situation in the valley”.
“The tourist bookings have seen a dip of 75% this year and we are fearing worse in coming months if the tirade doesn’t stop.”
President, Kashmir Hotel & Restaurant Owners Federations, Javaid Burza alleged that some business operators in Gujarat and Mumbai are trying to “decimate” Kashmir economy “and portray Kashmiri people as anti-nationals”.
“The tirade is not by people of India but by some people who want Kashmiri economy to suffer so that we can accept their terms. The decline in the number of tourists also leads to fall in the rate of hotel rooms which is damaging the whole industry,” Javaid added.
Chairman of Houseboat Owners Association, Ghulam Rasool Siah said even though the industry is suffering the state’s tourism department is trying everything to bring the tourists to the valley.
“The private cab drivers, shikara walas, handicraft workers and other allied sectors which are part of the tourism sector are all suffering because of the media propaganda,” Siah added.
Kalyan Anand of Madhya Pradesh is on his second visit to the valley. “I had come to valley with some friends in 2012. Coming here after the 2016 unrest wasn’t easy because my wife and children believed that nothing was normal here.”
Accompanied by his family of five, Kalyan believes, “The media particularly the vernacular press in India and the social media has been raising small issues beyond reality and that is causing this trouble.”
“Everyone should come to Kashmir,” Kalyan’s eleted wife Rajeshwari told Kashmir Post.
Meanwhile, reports in newspapers outside the valley have been carrying stories predicting and hinting at a 2016-like unrest this summer too quoting anonymous intelligence sources.
Bashir Ahmad, a cab driver, said, “How do these press people outside know that something is going to happen. It is like they want something to happen here. When central government is saying things are under control what does that mean?”
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