The summer tourist season in Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) has suffered a major blow after a terrorist attack in Pahalgam left 26 dead—25 of them tourists. What followed was a flood of cancellations, sending shockwaves through the local travel economy just when the region was gearing up for its peak months.
Bookings fell off a cliff across popular destinations like Gulmarg, Sonamarg, Srinagar, and Katra. The aftershock was felt even in hotels far from the incident, especially those near the border. Smaller, independent hotels, heavily reliant on the seasonal rush, were hit hardest. Large chains weren’t spared either—Radisson, The Lalit, and Indian Hotels Company (IHCL) all reported sharp declines in occupancy.
To reassure potential travellers and revive the region's image, several national travel and hospitality associations are now heading to Kashmir, according to a Business Standard report. Industry bigwigs such as the Federation of Associations of Indian Tourism & Hospitality (FAITH), Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI), and Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) are coordinating visits to Srinagar, Gulmarg, and Pahalgam in June.
The idea is simple: go there, be seen, and send a message that travel to the region is safe again—at least for now.
“We’re not going to turn it into a big event,” reportedly said K B Kachru, president of the Hotel Association of India and South Asia chairman for Radisson. “This is more about quiet reassurance than loud marketing.”
FAITH’s Bobby K S Sawhney said around 50 operators will join them, and dates are being firmed up in coordination with local officials.
IATO, in particular, has lined up a four-day trip from June 14 to 17, with 22 tour operators set to explore Srinagar and Pahalgam. The trip has support from airline IndiGo and local stakeholders in hospitality and transport.
“These visits are intended to express solidarity with the tourism ecosystem in J&K. Each operator going there sends a quiet signal that business is willing to return,” said IATO president Ravi Gosain.
In total, industry bodies are aiming to send 100 to 150 travel operators to the region over the next few weeks.
Top hotel chains are keeping a close eye on how this pans out. Radisson, which has nine properties across Jammu and Kashmir and another in the works in Pahalgam, is among the oldest players in the region. It is joined by Lalit Hotels and IHCL’s Taj in trying to rally their domestic traveller base.
That base largely comes from states like Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Gujarat, and Maharashtra. With international tourist footfalls still limited, recovery depends on restoring confidence within India.
“There’s cautious optimism,” said Kachru. “If people see others going, hear good things, and watch the government step up safety, it may gradually swing back.”
