Following the lifting of visa restrictions and some improvement in the security situation, the Indian-administered Kashmir region is attracting record numbers of tourists, supporting local businesses.
Despite limitations on foreign tourists and recent incidences of violence, local tour operators and government authorities predict that tourist numbers will reach a 10-year high this year, with more than 340,000 travellers arriving since January.
After Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government divested Kashmir of its special status and autonomy in 2019, tourism in the region plummeted.
The COVID-19 pandemic later reduced domestic and international tourist inflows.
Tourism, along with horticulture and agriculture, is a major industry in Indian-administered Kashmir, accounting for around 7% of the economy, according to government figures.
The contested territory, which bills itself as “Paradise on Earth,” is home to Dal Lake, which was a favourite summer retreat for Mughal rulers centuries ago.
The lake’s famous houseboats, as well as the nearby Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden, Asia’s largest, and the region’s mountains and glaciers, are key attractions.
According to Hafeez, an advertising effort in major Indian cities as well as the development of new tourist destinations are luring more visitors.
“But, now I am earning 1,000 to 1,500 rupees ($13-$20) a day and we predict a busy tourist season ahead,” said boatman Wali Mohammad Bhat, 54, who said he had no employment during the pandemic.
Tourists have booked rooms in advance for the next few weeks, according to many hoteliers and houseboat owners, and the proceeds have helped them pay off some of their obligations.
Hoteliers, taxi drivers, and tour operators are doing brisk business after a few years, according to Ghulam Hassan Bhat, 75, a tour operator in Srinagar.
“Hotel room rates have increased by more than 30% from the pre-COVID period, and there is a massive rush for reservations,” he stated.
Because hotels are between 80 percent and 90 percent full and airfares have increased, tour companies have reported difficulty getting bookings for their clientele.
“Hotel rooms in desirable locations are scarce,” said Pronab Sarkar, a tour operator headquartered in New Delhi and a past president of the Indian Association of Tour Operators.
Because of pandemic-related concern, many high-end travellers from affluent Indian regions such as Gujarat, Delhi, and Mumbai are choosing Kashmir over European locations, according to tour operators.
“We have a shortage of high-end lodging and business transportation services here, which is a huge barrier for us,” said Mohammad Yasin Tuman, Managing Partner of Mascot Travels.
The tourists, on the other hand, are unconcerned. Navdeep Singh and his wife Gurpreet Kaur travelled to Kashmir from Australia, claiming to be enthralled by the beauty of the region.
“I’ve travelled all throughout Europe, but this is the most gorgeous site I’ve ever seen.” He praised the people as “kind and friendly.”
