There were high hopes within the industry that tourist numbers in 2025 would exceed last year’s 1.08 crore visitors during the January–June period, but the attack has effectively halted inbound tourism.
Industry representatives report an immediate impact. “Following the Pahalgam incident, all the reservations were cancelled. We have witnessed less than 10% new tourist arrivals this season. The financial losses are in crores,” stated Tariq Ghani Bedaba, Secretary General of J&K Hoteliers Club, in an interview with CNBC-TV18.
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Although the Jammu administration has reopened 16 of the 48 tourist sites that were closed after the attack, visitor numbers remain low. The broader economic repercussions have been significant. Hotel owners, houseboat operators, and transport service providers are now contemplating job reductions due to the dip in tourist arrivals.
“I employ around a thousand people. I’m considering cutting jobs by 90% to 95%,” said Manzoor Pakhtoon, Chairman of the Kashmir Houseboat Owners Association. Bedaba mentioned, “We have 3 lakh individuals engaged in the hotel industry. They are at risk of unemployment. I’m planning to lay off 50% of my staff.”
While both the Indian government and the Jammu & Kashmir administration are implementing various strategies to rejuvenate tourism in the union territory, stakeholders on the ground report they have not seen any significant results thus far.
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This current downturn is perceived by many to be more troubling than the COVID-19 pandemic, with Dal Lake’s shikaras remaining idle and local markets eerily quiet. With the summer season nearly lost, the industry is now hoping for a rebound in October, just in time for the winter season, although the future remains uncertain.
(Edited by : Jerome Anthony)
