The terrorist attack on tourists in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, has affected the travel agency business in Himachal Pradesh. Over the past few days, 80-90% of bookings for the union territory have been canceled. Rishabh Thakur from Antelope Tours & Travels in Shimla remarked, 'The attack in Pahalgam has also impacted businesses in Himachal. We have seen 80-90% of the bookings for Kashmir being annulled.'
Thakur informed a news agency, 'Tourism in Kashmir had witnessed a surge over the past two years, yet the terrorist attack has led to a slump in business. Until recently, we were distributing four to five packages daily for Kashmir, but now most bookings for Kashmir and the Amarnath Yatra have been canceled.'
He added, 'We are attempting to persuade them to postpone their travel and reconsider planning, but tourists are fearful, citing security concerns and unwilling to endanger their family members.'
Impact on Amarnath Yatra
Pahalgam's attack has also influenced the Amarnath Yatra adversely. Akhil Chauhan, who runs a travel agency in Shimla, noted the cancellations emanating from groups planning to travel from Gujarat and Maharashtra after the terrorist incident. Last Tuesday, terrorists struck the Baisaran Valley in southern Kashmir's Pahalgam, resulting in the loss of at least 26 lives, primarily tourists, and several injuries, which led to heightened security across the valley.
Despite this, tourism stakeholders are observing an increase in the influx of tourists to Himachal. M K Seth, the President of the Shimla Hotel and Tourism Stakeholders, shared on Monday, 'We anticipate a fruitful season. Currently, room occupancy hits 80-85% on weekends. As temperatures soar in the plains, we expect this number to rise.'
