Tourism is dying
Tourism in Kashmir is in a very bad shape. The reasons are many however, the situation in Kashmir that is being reflected by the media outside and the inept response by the state administration is making things worse.
Hotels across Kashmir are witnessing the lowest occupancy during the past few years now. During the current tourism season which is at its peak, the hotel occupancy is as low as mere 10 percent signifying that the Industry is in dire straits.
The situation it seems has reached a point that some hoteliers are planning to announce insolvency owing to low returns and high operating costs.
Kashmir tourism is being targeted since the past few years and it now seems that the sinister plan to hit the tourism sector has been hatched quite meticulously. The past few years have seen a sustained hate campaign against Kashmirís hospitality sector. This hate campaign has been targeting all those spots which contribute to the tourism sector here quite generously.
Notably, the government recently claimed that around 2 lakh tourists have visited Kashmir, however, tourism player state that the number signifies a significant decline in touristís arrivals in Kashmir.
This has happened despite promotional campaigns launched by the tourism department and tour operators earlier this year in different states. However, tourists have mostly stayed away from the valley, especially in the aftermath of Pulwama attack in February. Most of the hotels in almost all the tourist locations and hill resorts are empty. The tourism operators and hotel owners say that occupancy is down by almost 80 to 90 percent this year.
What is worrying the entire hospitality sector is that after every attack on security personnel or encounter at a far- off place, the electronic media pans its lens on Kashmir in such a way as if the whole valley is burning. This negative reportage on Kashmir is hurting the Industry to the hilt and the state administration has failed to counter it.
At times the stateís governor, Satya Pal Malik also issued statements to the media outside to behave in a responsible manner but his message too has not bore any fruit so far.
The under occupancy technically means losses for hospitality sector and the missing initiative by the state as well as central government so far has meant that the Industry is unlikely to see a revival in near future.
The state government on its part is not adopting any pro-active approach in reviving the tourism sector which otherwise provides livelihood to large chunk of people in the state.
The fact that the state government is not doing enough to promote Kashmir tourism is hurting the tourism players very badly. The result of this lethargy means that the hospitality sector is turning into a loss churning one and the propaganda machinery aimed at defaming Kashmir as a tourism destination is succeeding in its plan.
KV Network
