India-Pakistan tensions hit Amritsar tourism: Golden Temple footfall plummets 70 per cent

The tension brewing between India and Pakistan following the airstrike ‘Sindoor’ on nine terror-linked sites in Pakistan and PoK in response to the Pahalgam terror attack has taken its toll on tourism in Amritsar district, which borders Pakistan. Reports indicate a significant decline in tourism, with at least a 70 per cent dip in footfall of devotees at Golden Temple.

Normally, Golden Temple attracts between 1 to 1.25 lakh visitors from around the globe daily, with numbers often doubling during special occasions and weekends. However, due to the current situation, over 80 per cent of bookings in the SGPC-run sarais (inns) have been cancelled, according to SGPC sarai manager Gurpreet Singh.

“The outstation devotees who were already occupying the sarais have cut short their visit after the airstrike operation executed during the early hours. We’ve been receiving emails since morning for cancellation of bookings. At least 70 per cent of our occupancy in sarais was affected,” Singh said.

Federation of Hotel and Guest Houses (Walled City) president Surinder Singh noted that Amritsar’s tourism industry is particularly vulnerable to war-like situations due to its border location. “The impact is visible, with over 80 per cent of hotels and guesthouses falling vacant. Today, it took me just 15 minutes to gain access to the sanctum sanctorum, which otherwise takes more than two hours. I observed that, barring locals or Punjab residents, there were hardly any visitors from out of state,” he said.

Amritsar Hotel and Restaurant Association president APS Chatha reported only 10 per cent occupancy by evening, stating that the few guests were mostly those on official tours or attending family events. “More than 90 per cent of bookings in hotels have been cancelled. The impact will likely prevail for the next two to three months,” he added.