Skyrocketing airfare

Jammu and Kashmir is grappling with a major issue of the skyrocketing airfare nowadays as there has been an abrupt rise in the fare, which according to the tour operators is leading to the decline in the number of tourist arrivals. A media report quoting one of the tour operators has claimed that many tourists aspiring to visit the valley have cancelled their plans due to skyrocketing airfares while none of their fresh queries are maturing and all their potential clients are turning down the travel programme due to skyrocketing airfares. Amid the efforts and the government’s expiations of record-breaking tourist footfall this year once again, the skyrocketing airfare could play a spoilsport with the cancellation of the tour plans of many tourists. Although the government has claimed that despite the rise in airfare, the footfall of tourists continues to go up in Jammu & Kashmir, but in the weeks and months to come, there is a possibility of decline in the footfall of tourists and thus could put brakes on the tourism boom in Jammu & Kashmir. Though the concerned officials claimed to have taken up the matter with the higher ups, it is imperative to get the grave issue resolved at an earliest so that there is no decline in the tourist footfall as it could affect the livelihood of many people affiliated with the tourism sector. To address the concern of tourism players, the government must take immediate measures to ensure that the reduction in the skyrocketing airfare so that the people like Shikarawalas, hoteliers, ponywals, and other tourism players could heave a sigh of relief.