Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, May 12: The J&K Hoteliers Club today urged tourists to return, emphasizing that the situation in Kashmir is improving.
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Addressing a press conference here, members of the club, along with its Chairman Mushtaq Ahmad Chaya, said that with flight operations set to resume, tourism is also expected to pick up.
“I want to congratulate the people of the country on the ceasefire – especially the Prime Minister. He has shown great wisdom, as always, and this decision is yet another example of that,” Chaya said.
He added that twenty-five airports have been cleared to reopen, and flight operations will begin from tomorrow. “We are hopeful of welcoming visitors from across the country,” he said.
“The tourism industry had taken a hit, but the ceasefire will allow us to resume work, and tourism will begin to recover. We call upon people from all over the country to return to Kashmir. With the grace of God, everything is well,” he added.
In the coming days, he said, tourism stakeholders are expecting a gradual revival, noting that around 30 lakh people are connected to the tourism sector, with 3 lakh employed directly.
“We wholeheartedly invite everyone to return to Kashmir, just as they used to. We are eager and ready to serve them again,” Chaya said.
He noted that following the Pahalgam incident, tourism and trade had suffered significant losses and emphasized that the Club was deeply concerned about the hardships faced by those employed in the sector.
“Time is the best healer. Everything is getting better – and why wouldn’t people come back? Kashmir is theirs, and we are theirs.”
Chaya informed that they are likely to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well as Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.
“We will be making some announcements too, the details of which I cannot share for now. We are also meeting the Prime Minister, because his voice matters. He cares deeply for Kashmir.”
Regarding travel advisories issued following the April 22 incident, he said: “A travel advisory has been issued only by the US, but for us, India alone is enough to sustain our tourism industry.”
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