Mubashir Bukhari
Srinagar (NVI): Tourist arrivals dropped to a 10 year low in Kashmir last year, the official figures of J&K tourism department indicate. The abrogation of Article 370 and the travel advisory that followed was cited as the main reasons for the drop in tourists arriving in the Valley in 2019.
The official data by Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Department reveal that as many as 4,99,584 tourists including 32,985 foreigners visited the Valley in 2019. It is 59.3% less compared to 2018 when 8,41,202 tourists including 56,029 foreigners visited Kashmir.
Of the total arrivals of 2019, more than 80 per cent tourists arrived before July. Around 4 lakh tourists visited the valley till July 2019. In the preceding five months starting from August, only 43,059 visitors arrived in Kashmir.
The month of July recorded the highest footfall when the 1,52,525 backpackers stayed in the valley. Centre on August 2 issued an advisory for tourists and Amarnath pilgrims, asking them to curtail their visit in Kashmir after citing militant threats.
After the government withdrew its advisory on October 9, 2019, tourist flow increased and nearly 12,086 people visited the valley in November.
December again saw a dip in tourist arrivals despite all preparations to attract tourist to Gulmarg and Pahalgam for Christmas and New Year celebrations. Only 6,954 visitors preferred to visit Kashmir during last month of the year.
January, February, March, April, May and June in 2019 recorded 25,095, 15,927, 21,237, 61,815, 64,826 and 1,15,100 tourist arrivals respectively.
In the past decade, Kashmir has witnessed highest tourist arrivals in 2012, when 13,08,765 visitors arrived here. Prior to that 7.36 lakh and 10 lakh tourists visited Kashmir in 2010 and 2011 respectively. In 2013, 2014 and 2015, 11.71 lakh, 11.67 lakh and 9.27 lakh tourists visited Kashmir respectively.
Travel agents claim that lack of internet services and uncertainty in Kashmir was the main reasons for the dip in tourist arrivals after August.
“There is currently no activity in trade due to the lack of internet services. Even now when winter is at its peak, lack of internet service is affecting adventure sports in Gulmarg,” said President Tourism Alliance, Manzoor Ahmad Pakhtoon.
Director Tourism Kashmir, Nisar Ahmad Wani, said the department had intensified its promotional activities to lure tourists towards Kashmir.
A Preliminary Economic Loss Assessment Report by Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industries revealed that Kashmir Inc suffered a loss of Rs 17,800 crore post abrogation of Article 370.
