Tourists, travel agents allege complicity of Deptt
Suhail Bhat
SRINAGAR, Apr 28: Following the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, many hotels including the five star in Kashmir are refusing to comply with Government orders to refund tourists who cancelled their bookings over safety concerns.
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Despite clear directives from the Ministry of Tourism Government of India and the Jammu and Kashmir Department of Tourism mandating full refunds, several prominent hotels are offering “credit notes” instead of returning the money.
A circular issued by the tourism department after the April 22 incident directed all tourism service providers-including hotels, houseboats, homestays, and travel agents-to waive cancellation fees and refund booking amounts.
“All tourist trade operators must offer necessary assistance to tourists and refund booking amounts to affected stakeholders,” the circular stated.
However, complaints from tourists and travel agents indicate that many hotels are either delaying refunds by up to three weeks or refusing outright. Some hotels including several five star hotels and others owned by influential people have told customers that the advance payments were already invested, leaving them unable to process refunds immediately.
“This is not just about money, it is about basic decency,” said a travel agent based in Srinagar, who requested anonymity. “Tourists are cancelling trips because of genuine fears, and hotels are adding to their distress.”
A tourist who cancelled her booking said she was shocked to receive a credit note instead of a refund. “I was expecting cooperation, but instead, they offered a vague promise of future service. It is very disappointing,” she said.
Tourism experts warmed that such practices could harm Kashmir’s reputation as a hospitable destination. “These actions are short-sighted. At a time when the region needs empathy and support, some businesses are choosing to prioritize profits over goodwill,” a tourism aggregator said.
Observers said that the rigid refund policies reflect a worrying shift since the tourism boom of 2021, when Kashmir saw record-breaking visitor numbers. “There is a clear departure from Kashmir’s traditional culture of warmth and hospitality,” said a senior official in the Tourism Department.
Industry stakeholders are urging hotels to uphold the spirit of the Government’s directives. “If we lose the trust of visitors now, it will be difficult to rebuild it later,” the travel agent added.
The tourists and travel agents alleged complicity of the officials of the department as they said that they approached them but to no avail. Director Tourism, Raja Yaqoob told Excelsior he was busy in the meeting and did not respond to multiple calls from the reporter.
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