Bhubaneswar: The massacre of 26 tourists at Pahalgam on Tuesday has led a large number of visitors from Odisha cancelling their planned trips to the Valley in April and May. The ripple effect of the terrorist attack is already being felt by the local travel industry, as operators scramble to manage cancellations and offer alternative destinations.
“We received calls from many clients who planned their trips to Kashmir next month to cancel them. We were supposed to send at least 14-15 groups to Kashmir in May, but after the news of the terror attack broke, three groups already cancelled and the rest are reconsidering,” said Alok Moharana, secretary of Travel Agent Association of Odisha (TAAO).
“This is peak season as summer vacations have started and such an incident completely shook the confidence of tourists. The fear is real, and we expect at least 60 to 70% of Kashmir bookings will either be cancelled or diverted. It’s a serious blow for both tour operators and local economies dependent on tourism,” Moharana added.
Kashmir is a perennial favourite among Odia travellers during summer vacation, followed by Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and the northeast. However, following Tuesday’s terror attack, families who planned their vacations months in advance are now prioritising safety. “We planned our family trip to Kashmir in the first week of May, but after what happened in Pahalgam, we are cancelling it. The children are scared,” said Sudarsan Pattnaik, internationally acclaimed sand sculptor.
Tour operators said tourists are now exploring alternative destinations and they are also trying to keep clients engaged to minimise losses. “The preferred destinations other than Kashmir during the summer are Himachal, Uttarakhand, and the northeast. This year we are noticing a demand for trips to Munnar and Kodaikanal. Some tourists who spent money and planned a big trip may go,” said Shyama Prasad Tripathy, a travel planner.
Travel agents said tourists incur losses in terms of non-refundable flight tickets and hotel bookings. “Tour operators also incur losses in terms of logistics arrangements when clients cancel their trips,” said Anjan Kumar Sahu, a tour operator from Cuttack.