Srinagar, Apr 29: Post Pahalgam attack, airfare to Kashmir has come down by more than 70 percent as the flow of tourists has declined massively.
While a week before when a one-way trip to the valley was way much costlier than a ticket to foreign destinations like Dubai , Vietnam and others, the airfare has declined to the record low in the last four years.
A cursory look at the online air ticket portals reveals a sharp fall in flight ticket prices from major Indian cities to Srinagar.
Flights that a week before were priced between ₹ 15,000 and ₹20,000 one-way have now dropped to as low as ₹4,000-5000 in some cases.
Take the instance of Srinagar-Delhi tickets, which after the closure of the highway, ranged from ₹24,000-28,000 and came down to mere ₹ 4500 to 5000 per passenger.
Similarly, Srinagar-Mumbai fares, which reached Rs 26,000-30,000 per passenger too, has stabilised at ₹4800 per passenger, which is the lowest airfare recorded in the last many years.
The round trip to both these destinations too has come down with air tickets to New Delhi and Mumbai selling at ₹5000 and ₹7000, respectively.
This slash in the airfare has come down as the tourist flow to the valley has reduced by more than 70 per cent since last one week. The future bookings too have got cancelled.
The situation is such that many airlines fly with counted passengers to the valley, mostly the locals. “Today, dozens of flights arrived at Srinagar airport with few passengers. The decline in the tourist rush has reduced the passenger numbers for every airline company. If the situation remains the same, the number of flights may be reduced to Srinagar,” a source said.
Pertinently, the Civil Aviation Ministry had directed airlines to maintain regular fare levels on the Srinagar route and operate additional flights.
Tourism stakeholders in Kashmir are alarmed. Hoteliers, transport operators, and travel guides, many of whom rely heavily on seasonal tourism, are worried the fallout could extend well into the summer.
“This dip in travel not only affects flights and hotels but also thousands of livelihoods across the Valley. We are hopeful that normalcy will return and tourists will not lose confidence in Kashmir’s safety,” said Umar Ahmad Khan, a travel agent.