Amid India-Pak tensions, foreign arrivals, domestic travel likely to dip

Operation Sindoor and fears of escalation prompt cancellations, travel advisories, and concerns for both leisure and business travel across northern India

Foreign tourist arrivals and domestic travel are likely to take a hit in the coming weeks following Operation Sindoor, carried out by the Indian armed forces in the early hours of Wednesday, industry insiders said.

 

The military action and fears of further escalation are beginning to affect inbound travel to India, some executives said, pointing to the shutdown of several airports in North India and airlines issuing travel advisories against visiting areas near the India–Pakistan border.

 

“People will start to become more cautious. What will be most affected is inbound travel until the situation de-escalates,” said an industry executive.

 

“While we hope this is a short-term impact, nothing can be said for sure at the moment as the situation is still developing,” the executive added. He also pointed to Indians reconsidering their outbound or international travel plans — not only due to safety concerns but also rising costs — as well as travel to areas closer to the border.

 

The summer months make up the peak tourist season for the northern belt, as people travel to destinations in the hills and mountains. However, this season is likely to be affected by the current political climate.

 

“Any sign of war leads to a drop in travel. Domestic tourism to the northern belt will be subdued in the near term, but should not impact the vast majority of the country. However, it took a week after the atrocities in Pahalgam for India to show support to the local tourism economy of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K),” Chander K Baljee, chairman and managing director of Royal Orchid Hotels, told Business Standard.

 

According to Baljee, there is a short-term impact, with cancellations of holidays to destinations like Shimla, Amritsar, and Srinagar. Tour operators are also recommending that travellers reconsider their plans.

 

“In moments like these, when geopolitical tensions are high, travellers need to balance their desire to explore with an understanding of the broader landscape. Right now, travellers should reconsider non-essential travel to certain domestic regions like Kashmir, parts of Jammu, Leh, and Amritsar. These areas are often the first to experience disruptions — both operational and security-related — when tensions escalate,” said Karan Agarwal, director at travel company Cox & Kings.

 

“Internationally, routes to Europe, North America, and Central Asia are seeing longer flight durations due to rerouted paths avoiding Pakistani airspace. Travellers flying to cities like London, Frankfurt, Toronto, and even transit hubs like Dubai should factor in possible delays or changes,” Agarwal added.

 

The geopolitical tensions may affect not just leisure travel but also have a larger impact on meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE), which the government has been trying to promote.

 

The US Embassy in New Delhi and the British High Commission have issued advisories against travel to certain parts of India, including J&K. China has advised its citizens to avoid travel to “conflict zones” in India, while Canada has asked its citizens to exercise a “high degree of caution in India due to the threat of terrorist strikes”.

 

With Indian travel and tourism high on the government’s agenda and international hotel chains announcing major investment plans in the country, senior executives said a conducive environment for business was essential. In cases where geopolitical tensions affect consumers’ travel plans or employees working in these regions, they added, supportive policies should be considered.

 

“Flexible cancellation policies must be implemented — either with full refunds or the ability to move reservations to a future date. The focus has shifted from sales to safety: ensuring that assets, our teams, and guests in the hotels are sent home safely,” Baljee added.