Onlykashmir.in News Desk
Various tourism trade bodies in Kashmir on Wednesday appealed to the Jammu and Kashmir Government to immediately intensify tourism promotion and extend financial support to revive the sector, which they said has witnessed a steep decline in business since the 2025 Pahalgam incident.
Addressing a press conference in Srinagar, representatives of tourism associations said the industry suffered a major setback in the aftermath of the Pahalgam episode, with business remaining severely affected until November last year. They noted that the sector showed signs of recovery only after leading national tourism organisations visited Kashmir to express solidarity and encourage travellers to return to the Valley.
The stakeholders said several local tourism bodies had independently organised roadshows in cities including Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Chennai and Pune to promote Kashmir as a destination, bearing the associated expenses entirely on their own without financial assistance from the Tourism Department. While appreciating the Chief Minister’s personal participation in various tourism-related events, they expressed concern over the continued absence of adequate government funding for organised promotional campaigns.
According to the associations, tourist arrivals have declined by nearly 96 to 97 percent since July 7, prompting an urgent call for extensive marketing efforts ahead of the crucial autumn and winter tourism seasons. They urged the Government to allocate sufficient funds to enable participation in major travel marts, roadshows and media outreach programmes across the country.
The stakeholders also highlighted the mounting financial distress faced by tour operators as a result of reduced business, rising operational costs, staff salaries, rents and loan repayments. They further sought strict action against illegal and unregistered tour operators, alleging that unchecked activity by such operators has been adversely affecting genuine, registered businesses in the sector.
Concluding their appeal, the tourism bodies called on the Chief Minister to initiate a constructive dialogue with industry representatives and take immediate steps to strengthen the sector through collaborative and transparent decision-making, warning that continued delay in support measures could deepen the crisis facing Kashmir’s tourism-dependent economy ahead of the peak season.
