Abrogation of Article 370: Tourism industry on crutches; tour operators say ‘do or die’ situation for them

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‘Can’t afford to suffer losses in every season, time for permanent settlement of Kashmir’

Gowhar Nazir

Srinagar, August 27 : As uneasy calm continues to prevail in Kashmir, the already ailing tourism industry of the region in the aftermath of the abrogation of Article 370 has further witnessed a blow taking a toll Valley’s beleaguered economy.

It’s pertinent to mention that the fleeing of tourists has cast a shadow on the tourism sector which according to the reliable sources provides livelihood to over about six lakh5.6 Lakh people in the valley.

Few day’s right before the abrogation of the special status, the state administration issued an advisory which advised tourists to vacate, leaving hotels and houseboats deserted. As the top players of the tourism industry claims that the revenue to the tune of crores of rupees has been lost due to situation which led to mass cancellation of bookings.

“Right from the day one of the issuance of tourist advisory by the state government not a single room is occupied and no further booking have been made so far.  This is unfortunately for the first time that all the 30 rooms at my hotel are vacant,” Younis Ahmed Kenu, who owns a hotel at the Boulevard road, near Dalgate, told. “Right after accessing the ground level situation in Kashmir I preferred to lock down the hotel, causing a huge loss to my business.”

Farooq Ahmed Dangola, a houseboat owner said that at an average they were used to operate on full bookings during the month of August, which they perceive among the best performing month of the every financial year but unfortunately due to the abrogation of Article 370 which led to restrictions and shutdowns due to which they are suffering huge losses. 

“As from the previous business operations, an average earnings during the month of August recorded about seven lakh, but this sudden move of clampdown and restrictions have choked our business this time,” he said, adding, “I have suffered huge losses due to the restrictions and uneasy calm. Now

Talking to news agency, Fayaz Ahmed Baba, a Shikara owner at the Dal Lake, here said that his business started affecting due to the advisory of the state government issued prior to the scrapping of Article 370. “Keeping in view the present scenario, we are afraid about future investments into this striving sector as we have been facing deep financial crisis due to the restrictions and shutdowns.

The government is least concerned about our sufferings and losses which incurred due to their advisory and we are sure that by the end of this tormenting time they will come up with figures of estimated losses and nothing else. We lost our expectations from the present government who devastated us financially due to the forcefully imposed restrictions,” Baba said.(KNO)

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