Floods to hit peak-season tourism in Jammu & Kashmir

Jammu & Kashmir, which thrives on tourism, has seen the worst floods in over half a century

The tourism sector in Jammu & Kashmir (J&K), one of the primary sources of revenue generation for the state, is bracing for a lean period in the wake of the devastation caused by floods, the worst in five decades.

Inbound tourism in the Valley constitutes a major source of income for a large number of people in the state. In the past few years, domestic tourist numbers have reflected a positive trend.

“The first unintended casualty after any such calamitous event is always tourism. September-end to November-end is the peak season for domestic traveller inflow into J&K. Since this period coincides with a lot of festivities, the state sees a tourism boom during this season,” said Gour Kanjilal, executive director, Indian Association of Tour Operators.

The state hosted 13.6 million domestic tourists during 2013, which was 9.8 per cent higher than the previous year. Over the same period, foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs) dropped from 78,802 to 60,845 — down 23 per cent.

Anantnag, Pulwama and Baramulla, among other areas, have seen water levels rise to over three metres.

Although the routes to the higher reaches get closed intermittently between December and February, the snow-capped regions remain a perennial attraction for tourists across the world. Now, the prospect of tourism picking up even three months down the line looks bleak, said Nikhil Ganju, country manager (India) at TripAdvisor.

“The biggest fear is that of major infrastructural damage. In case of extensive damage, the issues will be compounded and tourism will only be one aspect of the travails the state would face in regaining normalcy,” said Ganju.

The Union tourism ministry has decided to allocate an additional Rs 100 crore, apart from the annual allocation of Rs 127 crore, to the department of tourism, Jammu & Kashmir. This is meant to help facilitate restoration of damaged infrastructure and re-establish tourism in the state.

“We are looking at making the funds available at the earliest. All we need is a report on the damage sustained and how they plan to utilise the funds,” an official added.

Countering the trickle-down effect of fear psychosis is another challenge that the state faces. Uttarakhand, for instance, witnessed considerable reduction in tourist numbers in even places that hadn’t been affected by the floods last year. In Uttarakhand, while Garhwal bore the brunt of floods, there was a tangible decline in visitors to Kumaon as well, estimates show.