THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The recent terror attack at Pahalgam in Kashmir has thrown Kerala’s travel industry into turmoil, leaving both tourists and tour operators in a state of panic. The tulip season, which draws thousands of Malayali vacationers to the destination between April and June, now faces an abrupt halt.
On average, over 3,000 tourists from Kochi travel to Kashmir each month during this period. The attack has disrupted holiday plans for hundreds, with tour operators overwhelmed by calls for cancellations.
“Kashmir has long been the most preferred summer destination for Malayalis,” said most of the tour operators.
Benny Panikulangara, of Benny’s Royal Tours Pvt Ltd said, “All trips scheduled for the next 10 days have been cancelled following the incident. Two of our groups are currently in Kashmir -- one narrowly escaped the attack. Though safe, they are in a state of panic.”
Benny said that many tour operators survive on Srinagar packages, which is normally priced between Rs 50,000 and Rs 60,000. It is learnt the sudden cancellations are expected to cause significant financial losses for both operators and tourists.
Reshmi Murali, managing partner of Yathri Holidays, which specialises in Kashmir tours, said the attack will likely affect bookings well beyond the current season. “We offer year-round packages due to consistent demand. One of our groups is in Kashmir now, and we are deeply concerned. Since the attack, we have been flooded with cancellation requests. Many of these trips were planned four or five months in advance due to high flight fares,” she said.
While some tourists are still eager to proceed with their travel plans, operators are being forced to cancel trips due to safety concerns.
Bastin Joseph, managing director of Fortune Travels, recounted how a group arrived at the airport ready to travel despite the unrest.
“We have daily departures to Kashmir. On Wednesday, despite the curfew and situation there, the entire group turned up. But we had to cancel the trip in the interest of their safety,” he said.