Waking up to massive economic loss, India’s leading tourism alliance is coming forward to send a clear and confident message: Kashmir is safe for tourists.
Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) in cooperation with Indigo and prominent hotel chains including ITC and Radisson will undertake a four-day visit to the Valley from June 14 to 17. The delegation is scheduled to visit Srinagar, Gulmarg, and Pahalgam—three of the region’s most iconic tourist destinations.
“This initiative is taken in solidarity with Kashmir tourism, and we are being supported by Indigo, ITC and Radisson. This is basically a fact-finding trip as we are bringing multiple tour operators to Kashmir to get a first-hand account of the situation there. We want to convey to the people that Kashmir is completely safe,” Ravi Gosain, President, Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO).
He said they will stay in Srinagar and Pahalgam to assess the facilities for tourists and compile a report about the situation in Kashmir. The visiting delegation will engage with local stakeholders, including hoteliers, transporters, and tourism officials, to assess ground realities and create a collaborative roadmap for recovery.
“We will stay in Pahalgam for a night and two nights in Srinagar. We will be having travel media along with us as well. All the participants will experience the situation and use their social media handles to spread the message of safety and security in Kashmir,” Gosain said.
Saying that the Pahalgam terror attack was an unfortunate incident, Gosain said that Kashmir should not be boycotted by tourists.
“Gruesome incidents happen everywhere. Our Kashmir people and tourism fraternity came onto the streets and protested against the attack. We should now support Kashmir tourism wholeheartedly,” Gosain said.
The initiative, led by IATO, comes in the wake of a sharp decline in tourist footfall after the Pahalgam incident earlier this month. With Kashmir’s summer peak season already disrupted, tourism stakeholders hope the high-profile visit will restore traveller confidence and jumpstart bookings for the remaining season.
“We are thankful for these high-profile tour associations. Kashmir tourism has suffered after the Pahalgam terror attack,” said Rameez Ahmad, a tour operator.