Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, May 13: The travel agents from Kashmir today alleged that the hoteliers have exponentially hiked the hotel tariffs apart from providing maximum inventory to online portals and outside companies while several other stakeholders are making Kashmir an expensive destination.
In this regard, the travel agents held a demonstration a at the Press Enclave to protest what they termed as unethical trade practices by hoteliers and other service providers in the tourism sector.
The protest was held under the banner of the Joint Coordination Committee of Travel Trade to highlight the unfair trade practices and the government’s inaction to curb the menace which they said is bringing a bad image to Kashmir’s hospitality sector.
Speaking on the occasion, spokesperson of Coordination Committee Farooq Ahmad Kuthu said that hoteliers have hiked the hotel tariffs disproportionately by 200 to 300 per cent besides providing maximum inventory to online portals and outside companies leaving local travel agents high and dry and with limited business opportunities.
“The local travel agents are not able to book the packages as most of the hotels have been sold out to outside companies who are not even registered with the Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Department,” he said.
The protestor alleged that the rampant hoarding of hotel rooms, profiteering and black marketing by some hoteliers and online travel portals have wreaked havoc in the tourism industry.
“The tourist taxi operators have also arbitrarily hiked the charges making Kashmir not only an expensive destination but many beautiful areas at the resorts have become unaffordable for the common tourists,” Kuthu said.
To address the issues, he said, the tour operators held a series of meetings with hoteliers and the Government authorities to expose the mafia, “but the Government’s inaction has disappointed them.”
The protestors said that there is an impressive rush of tourists to Kashmir but this is benefiting everyone but local travel agents. “It seems the hoarding and black marketing mafia has some hidden agenda to deprive local travel agents of the business opportunities.”
Kuthu said that the Government had formed a coordination committee to address the issues “but nothing has happened as rampant black marketing, hoarding continues.”
The protesters besides demanding hotel rate categorisation also sought regulation of tariffs and tourist taxi charges, while stating that the tourists are being ferried in private vehicles as the government has banned issuing new vehicle permits to tour operators.
“Due to huge rush, we have run out of tourist taxis. We had sought permits from registering authorities so that travel agencies can bring new taxis to meet the demand.”
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