The terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, has created an atmosphere of fear in the entire valley. After the attack, the situation has become such that the tourism-dependent economy of Jammu and Kashmir is almost on the verge of coming to a standstill. According to local hotel owners, taxi drivers, and businessmen, more than 90 percent of tourist bookings have been cancelled. There is silence on the streets, markets are deserted, and hotels are empty.
The terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22 has dealt a severe blow to Jammu and Kashmir’s tourism sector. In this tragic incident, 26 people lost their lives. Pahalgam, which usually buzzes with tourists during the summer, now wears a deserted look. Following the attack, many people who had planned trips to Kashmir next month have started canceling their bookings.
Most bookings have been cancelled at popular places like Gulmarg, Hazan Valley, and Tulip Garden. After the Pahalgam attack, the economy of Jammu and Kashmir is again on the verge of coming to a standstill due to heavy losses. The terrorist attack has shaken the economy of the entire Jammu and Kashmir. Hotels, travel operators, and big and small businessmen have been badly affected.
The silence that spread in the valley after the Pahalgam attack has caused heavy losses to hotel owners. Many hotel owners expressed their pain in a conversation with the media. A hotel owner said, “For the last 4 days, the roads have been deserted, and the markets have been empty. Whatever little work is managed, some incident spoils the atmosphere again. First, we had to face the brunt of Corona, then the impact of communal tensions, and now this terrorist attack.”
Other hotel owners say, “Earlier, there were only a few hotels here; today, there are more than 100 hotels, which employ the local people. But now that no tourists are coming, the time has come to close the hotels. We will be forced to lay off the employees. In such a situation, how will they run their homes? Everyone’s future is in danger.”
