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Published on : Thursday, November 12, 2020
Smiles have started coming back on the faces of tour operators after tourist activities started bouncing back in Kashmir. For the first time in 15 months, tour operators are witnessing booking enquiries for winter holidays in the valley.
President of the Travel Agents Association of Kashmir (TAAK) Farooq Ahmad Kuthoo said that the valley’s tourism industry is taking baby steps towards becoming normal with enquires pouring in from Gujarat and Maharashtra.
“Enquiries have started coming, though many may not materialize. But the good thing is that people are thinking to travel to Kashmir after spending eight months under lockdown. International tourism hasn’t resumed, so Kashmir can become an alternative,” Kuthoo said.
Tourism in Kashmir took a back seat after August 5, 2019 when the government abrogated article 370. Kashmir went under lockdown for at least five months with no access to high-speed internet and broadband services.
Tourists had started to visit the valley again in January and February; however, the Covid-19 pandemic hindered the process.
Tour operators are expecting a surge in bookings with MET predicting the first snowfall in a few days’ time.
“There has been an advisory for snowfall this week and it can be the biggest attraction for the tourists,” Kuthoo said.
Tour operators are now planning to launch a marketing blitz to attract tourists to Kashmir.
“So far we are conducting virtual marketing by holding webinars and other promotional events. By next month we will begin our aggressive marketing. Our members would travel to various states to promote Kashmir as the best winter destination,” Kuthoo said.
Umar Ahmad, a travel agent said that discounted packages would increase footfall this winter.