SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir’s favourite Pahalgam tourist resort, which was abuzz with visitors and tourism-related activities, now wears a deserted look after Tuesday’s terror attack that left at least 26 people, including a local, dead. The hoteliers and dhabawalas, who had no time to take lunch or dinner while catering to the huge rush of tourists, are now staring at a dark future as the fear-stricken tourists continue to leave the Valley in hordes.
Pahalgam, a much-sought-after tourist destination, looked like a ghost town on Thursday, with only security forces’ movement and occasional plying of private vehicles and cabs. All shops and restaurants, which used to be brimming with tourists, remained closed.
Sabzar Ahmad, owner of Dal Roti eatery shop in Pahalgam, said they have not opened their eatery since Wednesday as there are no tourists around. “All the tourists in Pahalgam have left and even if there are a few around, they are staying in hotels and hardly venturing out,” he said. Some owners of hotels and lodges said they downgraded their staff in anticipation of a long dry spell.
Sabzar said after the terror attack, the hoteliers and eatery shops in Pahalgam offered discounts to tourists. “The situation has totally changed after the terror attack. This place (Pahalgam) used to be full of activities. It used to remain abuzz with tourists, but now it is deserted,” he said.
“Till Tuesday hoteliers, dhabawallas and eatery shops owners and staff in Pahalgam had no time to take breakfast, lunch or dinner for themselves due to the continued rush of the tourists. Due to the rush, there was booking of tables and tourists had to wait for their turn, but now it is empty and all tourism stakeholders, including hoteliers, eatery owners, ponywalas and labourers, are staring at a dark future,” Sabzar said.
Another hotelier, Umar Ahmad, said the tourism season has virtually ended as the fear-stricken tourists have left Pahalgam and no new tourist is coming. Fear gripped tourists in the Valley after the terror attack at Baisaran meadow, also known as a mini-Switzerland. “There was a beeline of tourists at Srinagar airport to leave the Valley,” Umar said.
Travel operator Sajad Ahmed said, “All the bookings have been cancelled after Tuesday’s terror attack. The tourism season has ended for now.” He added, “Pahalgam was the most-sought-after tourist destination and everybody wanted to visit the picturesque place and Baisaran meadow, where the attack took place.”
For the poor daily wage earners who eked out a living by giving horse rides or selling Kashmiri handicrafts and shawls to tourists, the tragedy has cast clouds of uncertainty over their livelihood. Kashmir recorded an uptick in tourist inflow over the last few years. At least 8.25 lakh people, including 3,000 foreign tourists, had visited Asia’s largest tulip garden.
Sajad said the terror attack has dealt a death blow to the tourism industry in the Valley. “It may take some time to again gain trust of people from different parts of the country, so that they can again turn to Kashmir,” he said. “At this moment the tourists are worried about their safety and are leaving the place. We hope with the efforts of government, the tourists will return to Kashmir,” the travel operator said.
