Jahangeer Ganaie
Pahalgam, May 22: One month after the devastating terror attack on April 22 in Pahalgam, the region’s tourism industry remains in turmoil. The terror attack, which claimed 26 innocent lives, has caused a dramatic decline in tourist arrivals, leaving local businesses and workers facing unprecedented challenges.
Locals from Pahalgam said that business is down by over 95 per cent, as many people associated with the tourism sector are unable to earn their livelihoods.
Before the attack, Pahalgam was bustling with approximately 15,000 tourists daily, supporting a vibrant ecosystem of hoteliers, cab drivers, pony handlers and artisans, they said.
Since the attack, this number has sharply declined, and currently, only about 2 per cent of tourists are visiting Pahalgam, resulting in significant economic distress, as per locals associated with tourism.
Hoteliers said there has been a 95% drop in occupancy, as most bookings were cancelled.
Yawar Lone, a hotelier from Pahalgam, said guests checked out immediately after the attack, and future bookings were cancelled en masse.
Uzair Ahmad, another hotelier, said most hotels were booked until June before the attack, but almost all reservations have now been cancelled.
“Last year, during this month, tourism was so high that even local tourists struggled to find space, often sleeping in parks,” he said.
Ahmad expressed disappointment, saying this year was expected to be even busier, but the attack has dashed all hopes. “Even local tourists are now avoiding visiting the area for unknown reasons,” he added.
Approximately 1,500 cab drivers in Pahalgam have been left without work. Basharat Ahmad, a cab driver, said that many have taken loans to purchase vehicles, and now, with no income, they are unable to pay their monthly instalments.
Around 3,000 pony owners across nine villages have seen their main source of income vanish. Aadil Ahmad, a pony owner, said he used to earn about Rs 1,000 daily, which supported his family and children’s education. However, he has not earned a single rupee in the last month. “Even during winter months, pony walas used to earn some income, but now, everything has come to a standstill,” he said.
An official, speaking on condition of anonymity said that the losses are estimated in the thousands of crores, as almost all bookings have been cancelled. “Apart from the human loss, the livelihoods of thousands of people dependent on tourism have been severely affected,” the official said. He warned that the impact is likely to extend further because the prospects for tourism revival remain uncertain.
The official said the government is making every effort to restore the tourism sector, but so far, these efforts have not yielded results.
