Everyone’s Dream Destination Looks Empty, What Happened?

The Pahalgam terror attack sent shockwaves across the country. Following the attack and India’s retaliation to it through Operation Sindoor, tourists to the Himalayas, Kashmir valley, Leh and Ladakh are still in the grip of fear. The summer months, between May-September is considered the best tourist season to visit the northern most part of the country but this year, tourists seem to have completely avoided these places as deserted streets and empty stalls have become a common sight.

Tour planners, stall owners and the travel operators are staring at a crisis with tourists showing no interest in visiting the Himalayan range and its ethereal beauty. All the stakeholders in a tourism circuit make money during the peak tourism season, and sustain with the same throughout the year. Any aberration in the cycle would lead to a pathetic state in their life, throughout the upcoming year.

J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah even rode a bicycle on the streets of Pahalgam, in a push for tourism in the valley. He sent out a clear message that terrorism and bloodshed will not stop tourism and development in the union territory. He also said that tourism, which plays a vital role in the Union Territory’s economy, should remain a conflict-neutral activity, as it is a source of livelihood for thousands of families.

After the attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Kashmir valley and even inaugurated several development projects, including the world’s highest railway bridge over Chenab river and India’s first cable-stayed Anji bridge, to instill confidence among the people that the government was alert to ward off any such incidents in the future. However, these initiatives by the elected representatives seem to have failed in evoking the desired reaction and result.