Ramadan Ceasefire gives boost to tourism in Kashmir

By Firdous Hassan

Srinagar, May 29: Kashmir Valley has been witnessing an increase in the footfall of the tourists New Delhi announced ceasefire for the month of Ramadan.
The government, on May 10, appealed for the ceasefire following an All Party Meeting held here.
New Delhi subsequently accepted the appeal.
The tourism players said the flow of visitors from various states has started to increase.
“We would receive very less tourists from Maharashtra prior to the ceasefire announcement. But now, the people from the states are coming and even confirming bookings for the upcoming months. An equal number of bookings requests are coming from Gujarat and south-Indian states,” said Farooq Kuthoo, General Secretary Travel Agents Association of Kashmir (TAAK).
He said his company alone has seen an increase of about 30 per cent in the booking during this month.
“The news has sent a good signal across India. There has not been much violence so far in this month due to which tourists feel safe for visiting here. We hope such peaceful situation to prevail ahead, which will improve the economic condition of people,” Kuthoo said.
Another tour operator, Umar Ahmad said the flow of tourists from countries like Malaysia and Thailand has also gone up.
“People from Thailand and Malaysia preferred Kashmir as a destination even during the worst times. Now when the atmosphere is relatively peaceful, tourists from these places have started to arrive in groups,” he said.
Amid this improvement in tourist bookings, the increase in the airfare to the valley, however, is unnerving the tourism-players, who fear that it could divert them to other places.
Currently, the airfare from New Delhi to Srinagar has soared by more than 70 percent.
President Travel Agents Association of Kashmir (TAAK), Ibrahim Siah, said the hike in airfare makes many tourists to change their plans for Kashmir.
“It has been a decade now that we protest against the undue hike by the airline companies. As soon as they see tourists visiting in huge number to the valley, their immediate response is to hike the air-ticket prices,” he said.
Director, Tourism, Mahmood Ahmad Shah, told The Kashmir Monitor the ceasefire for Ramadan has created a “positive atmosphere” for the tourists in the valley.
“It created a positive atmosphere all over the valley. There are no encounters and considering it tourists come in large number to explore valley. The calms should prevail in future as well so that more visitors visit here,” he said.