Kashmir hopes for busy tourist season after low footfall in 2016

Spark in violence last year reduced tourist inflow by 55%, revenue by 80%

 
Tour operators are keeping their fingers crossed this summer  after tourist footfalls declined sharply since last July in the Jammu and Kashmir. Enquiries have picked up significantly in the past month.
 
Queries are coming in from South East Asia as well.
 
"We are receiving hundreds of queries from Malaysian tourists for the summer. Also tourists from Singapore and Thailand are showing interest. Around 30-40 per cent of the arrivals this season will be foreign tourists," said Khaliq Wangnoo, chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir chapter of the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO).
 
He added roadshows