New Delhi: Following the Pahalgam terror attack, hospitality industry players in Jammu and Kashmir are worried over possible booking cancellations. The aggregators are anticipating mass scale travel cancellations and having deliberations with airlines and hotels to offer free date change and cancellation waivers to travellers.
The industry players expect that the dastardly Pahalgam terror attack might instill fear in the minds of tourists who were planning to visit Jammu and Kashmir. The non-arrival of tourists will also adversely affect the livelihoods of people in the state, as tourism is the main source of income.
At least 26 people were killed by terrorists on Tuesday in Pahalgam.
“As per the early observations, flight cancellations jumped 7x, and a drop in future bookings by nearly 40 per cent,” said Manjari Singhal, Chief Growth and Business Officer, Cleartrip.
“As travellers navigate this difficult situation, our teams are working round the clock with airline and hotel partners to provide flexibility and assistance on bookings/ cancellations. Our on-ground team is doing everything in their capacity to offer support to travellers. We remain committed to providing continued assistance to both our customers and partners during this difficult time,” a MakeMyTrip spokesperson was quoted by PTI as saying.
EaseMyTrip Chairman and Founder Nishant Pitti said the company has extended free change and cancellation waivers for all bookings made on or before April 22, applicable for travel up to April 30.
Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism & Hospitality (FAITH) and Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) condemned the terror attack and raised concern over the possibility of the negative impact on the tourism sector in Kashmir.
General secretary of FAITH, Rajiv Mehra said the attack has not only harmed innocent lives but also affected the livelihoods of houseboat owners and hoteliers, local guides and artisans.
IATO said the terror attack was designed to hit the tourism sector in Kashmir and create an atmosphere of fear.
The recent Pahalgam terror attack has severely impacted the tourism industry in Jammu and Kashmir. Online travel agencies like MakeMyTrip, Cleartrip, and EaseMyTrip are reporting significant flight and booking cancellations, with some seeing a 40% drop in future bookings. Biz News Business News – Personal Finance News, Share Market News, BSE/NSE News, Stock Exchange News Today
