From Betaab Valley to Bobby Hut, close to a dozen tourist spots in Pahalgam, once buzzing with activity, have remained silent following the massacre of 26 tourists a month ago. The incident has dealt a blow to the tourism sector, devastating hoteliers and dashing the hopes of many youth who relied on tourism for their livelihoods.
Photo Credit: AP
From Betaab Valley to Bobby Hut, close to a dozen tourist spots in Pahalgam, once buzzing with activity, have remained silent following the massacre of 26 tourists a month ago. The incident has dealt a blow to the tourism sector, devastating hoteliers and dashing the hopes of many youth who relied on tourism for their livelihoods.
According to the Pahalgam Hotels and Owners Association (PHOA), the occupancy rate at the more than 1,500 hotels in Pahalgam has dipped to a mere 10%.
Pahalgam terror attack: A tribute to the victims
Most hoteliers demanded that the public parks in Pahalgam should be opened to revive tourism. Surrounded by the lofty peaks of Pahalgam valley, the public parks, such as Poshwan Park, Nehru Park, Island Park Pahalgam, Lidder View Park and Aru Park, have remained shut for many days now.
“There has been a government advisory. Parks in Pahalgam remain closed. I think they need to be opened up so that local and domestic tourists return,” Mr. Burza said.
Photo Credit: AP
From Betaab Valley to Bobby Hut, close to a dozen tourist spots in Pahalgam, once buzzing with activity, have remained silent following the massacre of 26 tourists a month ago. The incident has dealt a blow to the tourism sector, devastating hoteliers and dashing the hopes of many youth who relied on tourism for their livelihoods.
According to the Pahalgam Hotels and Owners Association (PHOA), the occupancy rate at the more than 1,500 hotels in Pahalgam has dipped to a mere 10%.
“There are many big hotels with zero occupancy. Many hotels asked their staff to stay home till tourists return. It (Pahalgam terror attack) was a gruesome and scary incident. Tourism prospects remain bleak as of now,” Javed Burza, president of the PHOA, told The Hindu.
Pahalgam terror attack: A tribute to the victims
Most hoteliers demanded that the public parks in Pahalgam should be opened to revive tourism. Surrounded by the lofty peaks of Pahalgam valley, the public parks, such as Poshwan Park, Nehru Park, Island Park Pahalgam, Lidder View Park and Aru Park, have remained shut for many days now.
“There has been a government advisory. Parks in Pahalgam remain closed. I think they need to be opened up so that local and domestic tourists return,” Mr. Burza said.
Many are pinning their hopes on the upcoming Amarnath yatra, which begins from July 3. “We will host the yatra. We are hopeful that the yatra will be followed by a good number of tourists. Hotels are already offering up to 50% rebate in tariffs. We are reaching out to tourists. Things will change,” Mr. Burza said.
The youth who had invested in adventure sports like zorbing and zipline are sitting idle and facing a major financial crisis. “I had to borrow money from the bank to start adventure sports. The past few years saw a significant increase in tourist footfall. We were expecting a good profit this year. My livelihood depends on tourists,” Nazeer Mir, a local resident, said.
Photo Credit: AP
From Betaab Valley to Bobby Hut, close to a dozen tourist spots in Pahalgam, once buzzing with activity, have remained silent following the massacre of 26 tourists a month ago. The incident has dealt a blow to the tourism sector, devastating hoteliers and dashing the hopes of many youth who relied on tourism for their livelihoods.
According to the Pahalgam Hotels and Owners Association (PHOA), the occupancy rate at the more than 1,500 hotels in Pahalgam has dipped to a mere 10%.
“There are many big hotels with zero occupancy. Many hotels asked their staff to stay home till tourists return. It (Pahalgam terror attack) was a gruesome and scary incident. Tourism prospects remain bleak as of now,” Javed Burza, president of the PHOA, told The Hindu.
Pahalgam terror attack: A tribute to the victims
Most hoteliers demanded that the public parks in Pahalgam should be opened to revive tourism. Surrounded by the lofty peaks of Pahalgam valley, the public parks, such as Poshwan Park, Nehru Park, Island Park Pahalgam, Lidder View Park and Aru Park, have remained shut for many days now.
“There has been a government advisory. Parks in Pahalgam remain closed. I think they need to be opened up so that local and domestic tourists return,” Mr. Burza said.
Many are pinning their hopes on the upcoming Amarnath yatra, which begins from July 3. “We will host the yatra. We are hopeful that the yatra will be followed by a good number of tourists. Hotels are already offering up to 50% rebate in tariffs. We are reaching out to tourists. Things will change,” Mr. Burza said.
The youth who had invested in adventure sports like zorbing and zipline are sitting idle and facing a major financial crisis. “I had to borrow money from the bank to start adventure sports. The past few years saw a significant increase in tourist footfall. We were expecting a good profit this year. My livelihood depends on tourists,” Nazeer Mir, a local resident, said.
With no agriculture fields or orchards, Pahalgam, with a population of around 9,264, is solely dependent on tourism activities. Many youth had formed groups and rented hotels for a year. “The main tourism season, which is from May to June, is almost over. We can’t even make the money we already paid as advance when we booked the hotel for this year. Many investors have gone into depression. The government needs to be active and help revive tourism,” Firdous Dar, a local resident, said.
