Mubashir Aalam Wani
Srinagar, Jul 10: In a remarkable shift in travel trends, Kashmir is witnessing a surge in tourists arriving by road, spurred by soaring airfare prices.
Tourism rush to Kashmir continues with 15.65 lakh tourists including 26,000 foreigners have visited the valley till June.
With swelling numbers, the airfare from various destinations to Kashmir has skyrocketed, making a Kashmir trip major unaffordable for tourists.
Now tourists are dodging the air travel by taking a road journey to Kashmir in order to ensure a cheap and affordable trip.
According to travel agents, the number of tourists arriving via road has seen a substantial increase. The operators attribute this surge to the high cost of flights, which has prompted many budget-conscious travellers to seek alternative means of reaching the valley.
“Two factors have led to the growth in the number of tourists entering Kashmir via surface traffic. The airfare to Kashmir has hiked which has forced the tourists to complete their dream tour via surface traffic. The road condition too has improved, which makes the road trip to Kashmir exciting and memorable,” he said.
Tour operators and travel agencies have also noted this trend, with many reporting a significant rise in bookings for road trips and bus tours to Kashmir. “We’ve seen a notable increase in demand for road travel packages to Kashmir. Tourists are finding it more economical and also enjoying the scenic journey,” he said.
The tour operators expect further jump in tourists arrivals through surface traffic with the start of Srinagar-Jammu train services. “Road trips have even become a trend now. We have been receiving a lot of tourists who hire vehicles and bikes for a road trip from Jammu to Srinagar now,” Kuthoo said.
Tourists, too, are expressing their satisfaction with this travel option. “We decided to drive to Kashmir this year due to the high airfare. The road trip was not only cost-effective but also an adventure. We got to see so much more of the beautiful countryside,” said Priya Singh, a tourist from Punjab.
