Tourism players raise red flag over soaring airfares
Srinagar Mar 27: Tourism players in Kashmir are concerned that a visit to the region has become more expensive for travellers compared to visiting any South Asian country.
Similarly, the airfare from Gujarat, a significant source of tourists for Kashmir, is around Rs 16,000, and it’s nearly the same from Maharashtra or Calcutta to Srinagar.
Suresh Bhat, a businessman from Mumbai, visited Kashmir on March 25 with his family. “Each ticket cost us Rs 16,000 from Mumbai to Srinagar. Last September, I went to Dubai, and the airfare from Delhi to Dubai was Rs 21,000. Even though we are visiting our own country, it’s still more expensive for us than visiting any Asian country,” he said.
Tourism is considered the backbone of Kashmir’s economy after the horticulture sector, generating around Rs 8,000 crore in revenue annually.
Currently, most tourists are staying at Gulmarg, Pahalgam, and Dal Lake.
Mohammad Altaf, a hotelier, says that hotels in Gulmarg and Pahalgam are fully booked, with 100 percent occupancy. “This year, we are witnessing a significant increase in tourist arrivals compared to last year but the government needs to address the rising airfare,” he said.
He stated that the surge in airfare has negatively impacted tourism footfall and disrupted travel plans for the elderly, sick, young, and business travelers.
Moreover, he highlighted that the increase in airfare has not only affected tourism but also caused great hardship to Kashmiri residents, particularly students and patients.
There are 70 hotels in Gulmarg with over 3000 rooms, and similarly, there are 110 hotels in Pahalgam with more than 6000 rooms. The tour operators have also urged the government to regulate the airfare.
