Tourist footfall fails to pick up in Valley
Suhail Bhat
Srinagar, Nov 2: Days after the Government removed travel advisory for Kashmir, a dismal tourist footfall has been witnessed and tourist players attribute it to the prevailing uncertainty.
Various people associated with tourism sector told Excelsior that tourist footfall has been negligible in the Valley after the travel ban was revoked by the Government as lack of internet services and ongoing lockdown discourage tourists to visit the Valley.
They said only those tourists are visiting the Valley who could not refund or cancel their visit. “They have pre-booked their tours 5-6 months prior and paid in advance. They have no option of refund on their accounts. Otherwise, the reality is that tourists prefer to stay away due to uncertainty,” a tour operator told Excelsior.
The Government had issued an advisory asking the pilgrims and tourists to leave the State ahead of 5th August.
Mir Anwar, a tour operator, told Excelsior that peace, which is missing in Valley for last over two months, is prerequisite for the tourism. “The situation is not hidden from anyone. All the business establishments are shut, public transport is off the roads and internet is also suspended. Who will visit in such a situation? Today, tourist arrival is negligible,” he said. He, however, termed the absence of internet as the biggest setback to the industry. “We have lost all the booking till 15th November. Without internet we are unable to communicate with our clients. Internet is oxygen to tourism,” he said.
There are around 20,000 units that are recognized with the Tourism department and, like Anwar’s; they are passing through difficult phase without internet connectivity. They include tour operators, houseboats (1200 of them) and Transporters etcetera. “Normally we used to send a detailed quotation to tourists. We cannot do that on phone. After the quotation the customers send a feedback and, at times, want certain changes. But, the whole process seems practically difficult in the prevailing situation. Everybody cannot fly to Delhi and operate from there.” Anwar said, adding to mitigate the crisis they have requested for the restoration of their internet connection, but without any success.
Mushtaq Ahmad, an hotelier from Pahalgam, told Excelsior that the tourist footfall is dismal in the hill station as only a handful of visitors come for sightseeing. “Majority of the hotels are shut here and nearly 90% staff has been laid off. There is no tourism here,” he said.
Everything is not lost yet; if situation improves before the onset of winter the tourist footfalls may increase. “If the situation improves before 15th November, winter tourism would not get affected. Let’s hope everything is normal by then,” Younis Ahmad, another hotelier said. He, however, added that unless internet services and public transport are restored tourists would not come.
An official at the Tourism Department told Excelsior that the tourism is picking up slowly and they are making efforts for its revival. “There are not many tourists today but it will pick up in coming day,” he said. Asked about the lack of internet services to the tour operators he said: “We have made arrangements for them in the Tourist Reception Centre. They can come and avail it,” he said.
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