No hope for tourism revival in Valley: Stakeholders

M Amir Khan

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, July 16

Despite the government”s decision to allow tourists to visit the Valley in a phased manner, stakeholders see no ray of hope in sight for Kashmir tourism. They say the decision has confused tour operators outside in the backdrop of reimposition of the lockdown in parts of the Valley.

“The order has sent out confusing signals and the tour operators, who keenly follow news emanating from Kashmir, are asking how tourists can come in the middle of a lockdown. On the one hand, the tourists have been given permission to come and on the other hand, the lockdown is back. The tourists will not come in the given circumstances,” Travel Agents Association of Kashmir (TAAK) secretary general Farooq Kuthoo said.

The government had announced that the tourists would be allowed to visit from July 14 onwards. In the first phase, only the tourists travelling by air would be allowed and later quarantined till their Covid tests were negative.

Though a trickle of tourists had arrived before the Covid lockdown, now, the stakeholders say that they see no chances of revival this year. “We have no hope that the tourism sector will be revived this year. The prime tourist season will last till August end at the most…even if they come, it will be just a handful….that is not going to help us much. Our hotels have been empty for the past one year,” said Imtiaz Wani, owner of City Star Guest House located in the city centre.

“And given the manner in which the tourists were told to leave Kashmir last year, bringing them back will be difficult. On top of that, the 4G service is still snapped since August 5 last year. When the tourists come, they want to upload photographs and live videos on social media….the situation is not conducive for the tourists. And if the lockdown continues, how will they go for shopping or eat out?” he added.

Days before the abrogation of Article 370, the sector had taken a blow after the government’s security advisory on August 2, 2019, asked the tourists and Amarnath yatris to curtail their stay in the Valley.