Pahalgam attack fallout: City travel agents feel the heat as tourists cancel Kashmir trips

Guwahati, April 24: Tuesday’s cowardly terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 civilians has dealt a severe blow to Kashmir’s tourism sector, just as the valley was regaining its footing as a major travel destination.

The ripple effects have reached Guwahati, where local travel agencies report a wave of cancellations and mounting losses.

Kashmir, long romanticised as "heaven on Earth", had seen a steady uptick in tourist arrivals in recent times. However, the brutal attack has once again cast a shadow over the region’s fragile normalcy.

Bitupon Mech of Northeast Hikers, a Guwahati-based travel agency, said the fallout was immediate. “Twenty travellers scheduled to visit Kashmir in June and July have cancelled their bookings. Eight others have diverted their trips to alternative destinations,” Mech told The Assam Tribune.

He added that one group arrived in Kashmir on April 22, the day of the attack, but cut their trip short and returned on April 24. The agency estimates financial losses of over Rs 4.4 lakh due to the cancellations.

Epic Adventures, another city-based travel agency, echoed similar concerns. “A group of four had enquired about a Kashmir package for May, but they cancelled after the attack. This incident has shaken traveller confidence,” said Yuvraj Phukan, a representative of the agency.

One of the would-be travellers, Subhash Shah, said the group dropped their plan after family members expressed concern. “We were looking forward to the trip, but our families were worried. We’ll wait until the situation improves,” he told The Assam Tribune.

Some agencies have taken proactive measures to ensure client safety. Kaushik Das of Tridhara Travel Agency said they’ve suspended all Kashmir-related bookings. “We are not entertaining any enquiries or packages for Kashmir at the moment. We cannot risk people’s lives,” Das said.

Tourism is the second-largest contributor to Kashmir’s economy after horticulture, generating approximately Rs 7,500 crore annually. According to a recent report, tourist footfall in Jammu and Kashmir reached 2.95 million in 2024—up from 2.71 million in 2023 and 2.67 million the year before.

The attack has prompted a surge in flight bookings out of Srinagar, compelling the Civil Aviation Ministry to issue an advisory urging airlines to increase services and waive cancellation and rescheduling fees.

“It’s heartbreaking to see the exodus of our guests from the valley after yesterday’s tragic terror attack in Pahalgam. But we totally understand why people would want to leave.,” Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah posted on social media.

Meanwhile, locals in Kashmir have taken to the streets in protest, fearing that the terror attack could devastate the tourism-dependent economy. Marches were held in Pahalgam and at Srinagar’s Lal Chowk, with residents calling for peace and stability, on Wednesday.

As the region reels from the tragedy, the industry that had just begun to flourish finds itself once again on uncertain ground.