The Pahalgam terror attack is set to deal a blow to tourism in Jammu and Kashmir with travel agencies in several parts of the country reporting widespread cancellations of scheduled trips to the Union Territory even as the Centre said it will do the best to "minimise" the impact on hospitality sector in J&K.
Thousands of tourists began leaving Kashmir on Wednesday, a day after 26 people were killed by terrorists at Baisaran meadow near Pahalgam in Anantnag district.
Travel agents in J&K said most of the tourists were leaving the valley due to fear.
"We know tourists have by and large been safe in Kashmir but with such an incident happening here, one cannot expect them to stay back. The cancellations are massive, close to 80 per cent," Aijaz Ali, a travel operator from Srinagar, said.
He said there were cancellations of packages even for next one month.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said it was "heartbreaking" to see the exodus of tourists. He has called for a special cabinet meeting on Wednesday evening to discuss the impact of the devastating strike on tourism, the main stay of the economy in Kashmir.
In the national capital, travel agencies reported that nearly 90 per cent bookings for Kashmir have been cancelled, while some tourists are negotiating to shift their plans to alternative destinations.
"We had a few bookings from families. From bus and flight tickets to hotels -- everything was booked in advance. But the moment the news of the terror attack broke, we started receiving calls for cancellations," Dev, a travel operator in Delhi, told PTI.
Tourism industry leaders in Kolkata, a key hub in eastern India for travel to J&K, claimed that the incident could undo years of recovery and growth in the Kashmir valley.
"There had been terror attacks in Kashmir before. But never before were tourists identified and killed. The entire tourism industry and all its partners revolving around Kashmir, both in the valley and various parts of India, will go for a toss after this incident," said Bilolaksha Das, chairman of the eastern chapter of the Travel Agents Federation of India.
Das told PTI that tour operators have been receiving calls nonstop from panicked clients looking to cancel or defer their plans.
"Already several booking s have been cancel led since Tuesday night," he said.
He pointed out that Kashmir was the top destination for most domestic travellers in the last few years during the summer holidays, with seven out of the 10 bookings being for the valley.
Shamim Shah, the chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir chapter of the Travel Agents Federation of India, said the ghastly incident "may have" an impact on tourism.
"Yes, it is quite obvious that tourists might put their travel plans on hold. But it's too premature to comment on what extent the cancellations will happen. It's true that such incidents instill fear among tourists, but we should not allow the perpetrators of such ghastly acts to succeed," he told PTI.
Union Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said that his ministry will do the best to "minimise" the dent on tourism in J&K in the wake of the Pahalgam attack.
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