Srinagar, Apr 14: Come April, tourists are escaping the sweltering heat and heading to the Himalayas in Kashmir.
According to travel portal ixigo, Srinagar has ranked among the top five most-booked spots during two extended weekends this month. Srinagar is followed by Dehradun and Jammu, which are also relatively cooler compared to the rest of India.
The spike in demand is not limited to the north. Other destinations such as Goa, Coimbatore, Port Blair, and Jaipur are also witnessing a significant increase in travel interest, with many scrambling for last-minute bookings.
This surge in tourist traffic has triggered a sharp rise in airfares, particularly for Kashmir, which is in huge demand because of the ongoing spring blossom.
According to ixigo data, last-minute one-way flight tickets to Dehradun and Srinagar have jumped by as much as 48%.
Average spot fares to Srinagar from Delhi and Mumbai during the first week of April saw a year-on-year rise of 29% and 48%, respectively.
As per ixigo’s airfare chart, an average one-way fare from New Delhi to Srinagar was recorded at Rs 9000 per passenger, which has jumped to Rs 14000-16000 per passenger in April.
From Mumbai, the average airfare has surged to Rs 16000 in April compared to Rs 9000 per passenger in March.
The return ticket from Srinagar to both these destinations has hiked by more than 40 per cent, thereby burning a hole in the pockets of budget travelers.
Both the valley and the outside valley-based tour operators claimed that the hiked airfare is going to impact the tourism businesses in the valley.
“The weather is going to get even hotter in the coming weeks, and we fear people will choose other destinations over Kashmir because of hiked air tickets,” said Gautam Kapoor, a New Delhi-based travel agent.
The valley-based tour operators urged the government to regulate the airfare to ensure sustained tourist flow during summer.
“This is the peak tourism season, and bookings are coming in good numbers given the moderate climate of Kashmir. We urge the government to regulate the airfare so that the tourism industry doesn’t suffer,” said Farooq Ahmad Kuthoo, former Travel Agents Association of Kashmir president.