‘Tourism on Crutches’: Campaigns Fail to Revive Sector, Operators urge LG and CM for Intervention
Hoteliers, tour operators say they are on the verge of starvation as zero tourist inflow cripples Kashmir’s economy
By: Our Special Correspondent
Srinagar: Despite repeated promotional campaigns and government efforts to revive Kashmir’s tourism, the sector remains paralysed, with tour operators, hoteliers, and houseboat owners warning of a looming crisis.
Talking to ‘Kashmir Vision’, president Travel Agents Society of Kashmir (TASK), Ibrahim Siah said that despite several road shows and campaigns led by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, tourism continues to remain “down to almost zero.”
“We urge Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to personally find out the reasons behind this collapse. Despite all the promotions, tourists simply aren’t coming,” Siyah lamented.
Other hoteliers and tour operators echoed the same concerns, saying the situation has reached a breaking point. Many admitted they are now forced to quit the profession and look for alternative livelihoods as there has been no revival in sight.
“After the Pahalgam attack and despite the successful Amarnath Yatra, we have not received a single guest. We don’t know the reason, but we are literally on the verge of starvation,” said a hotel owner in Gulmarg, requesting anonymity.
Houseboat owners, once the pride of Srinagar’s Dal Lake, said they are among the worst hit.
“Our houseboats are lying vacant for months. It is heart breaking to see them decay while we have no means to repair or maintain them. Tourism was our only source of livelihood,” said Ghulam Nabi, a second-generation houseboat owner.
Another houseboat owner, Abdul Rashid, said, “We are sinking in debt. Banks are after us for repayment of loans we took to renovate our boats, but there are no guests. Even in peak season, we are sitting idle on the lake, waiting for customers who never come.”
Mohammad Yousuf, who operates two houseboats, said the silence on Dal Lake is telling. “Once you would see foreigners and domestic tourists enjoying the stay. Now, the only sound we hear is of oars hitting the water as we ferry empty shikaras. It feels like our heritage is dying.”
A Srinagar-based tour operator noted that while Kashmir continues to be promoted as a prime destination, ground reality paints a grim picture.
“Campaigns look good on paper, but they have not translated into arrivals. Families dependent on tourism are suffering silently,” he said.
Industry insiders warn that if the crisis is not addressed urgently, Kashmir’s tourism — considered the backbone of its economy — may face long-term damage.
