India's travel and hospitality industry gears up for Kashmir's comeback

India’s travel and hospitality industry is stepping in to help revive tourism in Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) — the lifeline of the country’s northernmost state — after its peak season collapsed following terror attacks on tourists that triggered mass cancellations.

 

The Federation of Associations of Indian Tourism & Hospitality (FAITH), the Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI), the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), and prominent members of the Hotel Association of India (HAI) will visit Srinagar, Gulmarg, and Pahalgam in the coming weeks to reinforce the message that the region is safe for tourists.

 

“We’ve spoken to tourist transport operators in Srinagar and confirmed our visit to Srinagar, Gulmarg, and Pahalgam. Around 50 operators will accompany us to these locations. We’re going in person to show that Kashmir is completely safe for travel,” said Bobby K S Sawhney, treasurer at FAITH. He added that the dates were being finalised in coordination with state officials.

 

IATO is organising a four-day trip called Rubaru — J&K, in which a 22-member delegation — including the association’s executive committee — will travel to Srinagar and Pahalgam.

 

“This trip is to show solidarity with the J&K tourism sector. It’s being supported by IndiGo, local hotels, tour and transport operators. We’ll be there from June 14 to 17,” said IATO president Ravi Gosain, who will lead the delegation, which includes tour operators and IndiGo airline staff.

 

“IATO has also requested meetings with J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, the tourism secretary, and other officials. We’ll meet local tour operators and other stakeholders involved in the tourism ecosystem,” he added. 

 

Industry executives said 100–150 tour operators and agents from across India have been identified to visit the state over the next few weeks.

 

“Travel agents are among the first to go to J&K. Each organisation will contribute in its own way. The idea isn’t to go en masse and turn it into an event. These visits are meant to meet people, understand what needs to be done to market the region, prioritise how to sell it, and improve coordination with local stakeholders,” said K B Kachru, president of HAI and chairman, South Asia, Radisson Hotel Group.

 

Tourism was hardest hit after the terror attack in Pahalgam, in which 26 people — 25 of them tourists — were killed. The incident escalated tensions between India and Pakistan and led to Operation Sindoor. Although a ceasefire ‘understanding’ and de-escalation followed, key destinations across J&K — Gulmarg, Sonamarg, Pahalgam, Srinagar, and Katra — and cities near the Pakistan border saw an exodus of tourists and a wave of cancellations.

 

Independent hotels, heavily dependent on tourism revenue, bore the brunt. Travel portal executives said bookings haven’t yet recovered to pre-attack levels.  “We're seeing signs of recovery, but travellers are treading carefully. Once normalcy returns, we expect people to come back,” said Manjari Singhal, Chief Growth and Business Officer at Cleartrip.

 

Branded hotel chains such as Radisson, Lalit Hotels, and Indian Hotels Company (IHCL) were hit just as hard and are now hoping the industry’s outreach efforts will help turn the tide. J&K’s tourism sector depends primarily on domestic travellers, especially from Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Gujarat, and Maharashtra.

 

“The industry is cautiously hopeful, even though we know this season has taken a hit. But once people start seeing others return, hear from word of mouth, and see campaigns alongside government action on safety, all of it together will help bring tourists back,” Kachru said.

 

Radisson has a strong presence in the region, with five hotels in Kashmir, four in Jammu, and a luxury property coming up in Pahalgam. It’s among the earliest hotel chains to set up in the region, along with Lalit Hotels and IHCL’s Taj.

 

“Tourism will return to Kashmir. It’s a resilient industry. Even now, we’re seeing a gradual comeback. Flights, which had dropped to two or three a day, are now up to around 20. That tells you people are beginning to come back,” said Jyotsna Suri, chairperson and managing director of Lalit Suri Hospitality Group.