Srinagar: The second wave of Covid-19 has hit the tourism industry in Kashmir hard, which was otherwise bubbling with activity just three months back. Jammu and Kashmir is reporting around 3,000 positive cases each day, more than half of them coming from Kashmir alone.
“We are back to square one”, says Farooq Ahmed Kuthoo, who heads the Travel Agents Association of Kashmir (TAAK), an amalgam of travel and tour operators. “There have been cancellations because of the fresh wave and not a single tourist is staying in Kashmir. We were expecting a bumper season this year looking at the number of tourists that visited Kashmir in January and February. But all over hopes have been dashed,” Farooq told The Sunday Guardian.
Kashmir tourism has been in dissension since 5 August 2019 when just ahead of the abrogation of Article 370 by the Union government, the administration in Kashmir, ordered travelers to leave the Valley immediately. Tourists and pilgrims present in Kashmir left in panic leaving the Valley deserted. This was followed by last year’s Covid lockdown. However, the sun shone for the industry in winter this year when tourists thronged the tourist resorts of Gulmarg and Pahalgam to have a glimpse of white gold. Hoteliers were accused of overcharging and most of them were booked in advance up to April this year. All that has vanished now with the second wave of Covid hitting the Union Territory.
“Our’s is an industry of Rs 5000-6000 crore. There is not even a single booking right now. Only transit tourists who could not cancel their tickets are here. We were hoping for a bumper season keeping in view the tourist flow in January and February. But Covid has once again hit us hard,” said Wahid Malik, who heads the Kashmir Hoteliers and Restaurant Owners Federation (KHAROF).
Kashmir’s tourism department has been working overtime to attract tourists to Kashmir Valley by conducting workshops in states like Gujrat and Maharashtra, which form a major component of domestic tourists.
The department with the help of Union Tourism Ministry hosted a mega event in Srinagar showcasing its myriad tourism products. The event named “Tapping the Potential of Kashmir: Another Day in Paradise” was held between 11-13 April to promote the region as a destination for leisure, adventure, wedding, films. Looking at the number of positive cases being reported from Kashmir, it is very unlikely that the tourism industry of Kashmir may get any relief soon despite the fact that the tourism players have not lost hope. “If the Covid situation improves in Kashmir and the rest of the country in the next couple of months, we still have a good season left. We hope the situation improves so that tourists return to Valley,” added Malik.
Srinagar alone is reporting more than 500 positive cases each day forcing the authorities to enforce restrictions like opening of only 50% shops in markets, closure of schools, and strict enforcement of the SoPs etc.
In a letter to the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Mayor of the Srinagar City Junaid Azam Mattu has suggested shutting down all tourist gardens, monuments and road routes. He has also suggested making a negative RT-PCR test report mandatory for anyone entering Srinagar by air or through the road routes. This is a suggestion backed by both TAAK and KHAROF. Tourism players believe that instead of testing the tourists at Srinagar airport, a negative certificate should be made mandatory.