Terrorism and tourism can't go hand-in-hand: Tour operators

On Tuesday evening, when the attack on tourists in Baisaran claimed 28 lives, the travel agents in Jammu & Kashmir knew that they would bear the brunt of the terror attack. And as they expected, travel bookings to the state have dropped by 90 per cent and all the bookings till June-July stand cancelled in the aftermath of the attack.

While they understand there will be loss of business, they unanimously agree that they “are worried about the lives of our brothers and sisters.” “Forget business – what about those who lost their lives?” questions Asif Hussain, a travel agent from Sopore, whose guest was injured in the attack.

‘We’re in shock, this has never happened to our tourists’
One of Asif’s guests was injured during the attack. As soon as he heard about it, he went to check on his guest at the hospital. “I was in the office when I got a call that one of my guests, who had gone to Baisaran, was shot. I was in shock – this has never happened with our tourists. I rushed to the hospital, stayed with them during the surgery. I just couldn’t believe it. I cried for them – because we are all the same. Sab tourists hamare bhaibehen hain. Hum sab insaan hain pehle. This is unacceptable,” he says, adding, “This will impact tourism in a big way. Tourism and terrorism cannot go hand-in-hand. We were witnessing a boom, and now this will change everything. I had 35 cancellations in just two days. But forget tourism, forget business – what about those who have lost their lives? They will never come back. People had come with their families; some were celebrating anniversaries and this is what happened to them.”


‘Business will drop by 90%, it’ll take at least one or two years to recover’
Travel agents who were hopeful for a strong summer season are now facing multiple cancellations. Delhi-based Muzamil Nazir, who also has an office in Srinagar, shares, “Business will drop by 90%, and it will take at least a year or two to recover. The last five years were a golden period for tourism in Kashmir, with travel increasing exponentially. But after this attack, the business will be hit, and it will take at least two years for us to recover. Attack ne directly tourists ko hit kiya hai toh abhi tourists travel nahi karna chahenge safety concerns ki wajah se.”


Manjari Singhal, Chief Growth and Business Officer, Cleartrip, says that flight cancellations have jumped seven times more than usual. “We’re heartbroken by what happened in Pahalgam. In times of uncertainty like this, we’re here for our customers, whether it’s rescheduling plans, offering waivers, or simply helping them navigate what’s next. Our teams are available and ready to support in every possible way. As per our early observations, drop in future bookings by approximately 40 per cent.”

"As travellers navigate this difficult situation, our teams are working round the clock with airline and hotel partners to provide flexibility and assistance on bookings/cancellations," said MakeMyTrip Spokesperson.

"At Pickyourtrail, the safety and well-being of our customers are always our top priority. The recent attack in Pahalgam is a tragic and deeply unfortunate incident. Our thoughts are with everyone affected, and we stand in solidarity with the people during this difficult time. There have been no cancellations that we faced so far. Our team is working 24*7 to provide real-time updates, reschedule itineraries, and offer alternative travel plans wherever necessary. Safety remains our highest priority, and we are committed to supporting our customers and the travel community during this period of uncertainty," said Hari Ganapathy, Co-founder, Pickyourtrail.

‘All bookings are cancelled until June’
It’s not just travel agents in Delhi with offices in Kashmir, but Kashmir-based travel agents also call this a black day for both Kashmir and the tourism industry. “All my bookings are cancelled until June. Tourists and locals are in shock. This will 100 per cent impact tourism. Business was returning, tourism was at its peak, hotel rooms were fully booked. But after this attack, everything is cancelled, and it’s heartbreaking,” shares Srinagar-based Shaqoor Sheikh.

Another tour operator from Srinagar, Shahji Shakil adds, “Bookings till July have been cancelled. April, May, June, and the Yatra period starting in July, are critical months for us. When we get bookings, they’re mostly for Srinagar, Pahalgam, Sonmarg, Gulmarg — you can’t convince people that one part is safe while the other is not. This was our time to earn. It took years to bring tourists back to Kashmir. Earlier, we could recover from setbacks because tourists were never the direct target. But this is a black day for us. Recovery will take much longer now. Tourists are scared. This will affect our business more than previous incidents ever did.”