Jahangeer Ganaie
Srinagar, Aug 10: The tourism players in Kashmir are expecting a good tourism season from September again as according to them the footfall has decreased by around 60 to 70 percent in last one month.
Mohammad Yaqoob Dunoo, spokesman Kashmir Houseboats Association said that this year there was a record breaking tourism season as in last two years people were unable to move out.
“With decline in Covid cases, people started visiting to tourist spots and Kashmir being called Paradise on earth, tourists started visiting here and there was recording breaking tourist footfall upto ending June this year,” he said. “It is routine that footfall decreases in July and August, however, in view of restrictions due to Yatra movement, most people cancelled their trips to Kashmir which further declined the footfall.”
He added that the Pilgrims were not allowed to approach towards Srinagar after 4 pm from Pahalgam or Sonamarg and same rules were for general tourists who was in valley for holiday and the travel agents from rest of the country stopped their books till Rakshabandan as these restrictions will be not in practice after 11th August 2022.
“Currently 90 percent houseboat and 80% hotels in Srinagar, Gulmarg and Pahalgam vacant, however, after Rakhsa Bandan, there starts marriage season in different States of India and from September we are expecting that footfall will increase again as couples come here for honeymoon,” he said.
Manzoor Kundroo, senior member of Travel Agents Association of Kashmir (TAAK) and managing director Great Himalayan travels said restrictions on movement of tourists due to yatra and cancellation of holidays in many schools in India are two reasons due to which the footfall of tourists decreased.
“We are hoping from next month that footfall will increase again as currently there are no queries or bookings,” he said. “Restrictions on movement general tourists has sent a bad news and tourists footfall decreased suddenly.”
It is around 20-30 percent tourism in Kashmir as compared to tourism in last few months, he said, adding that football will increase from third week of September but it won’t be like it was in last few months
“Other tourism players are also expecting that footfall will increase from 15th of September,” Kundroo said.
