Terror attack in Pahalgam threatens Kashmir’s tourism revival

Massive losses loom as Kashmir’s image of safety shatters

A deadly terror attack in Pahalgam on Tuesday, that led to deaths of 26 tourists and several other injuries, has disrupted Kashmir’s peak tourist season. The incident has reignited fears, casting uncertainty over the region’s recovering tourism industry and leaving locals worried about a severe setback.

In spring, the upper meadows of Baisaran in Pahalgam are often filled with the scent of pine and the sound of horses’ hooves ferrying tourists through Kashmir’s postcard-perfect landscape. But this afternoon, the calm was shattered by gunfire. In a brutal ambush, unidentified terrorists attacked a group of tourists in this forested stretch of South Kashmir’s Anantnag district, leaving 26 tourists dead and several others wounded.

The attack comes in the midst of peak tourist season, during a critical moment for the Valley’s hospitality industry, which has been slowly rebuilding after decades of disruption. Pahalgam, one of the crown jewels of Kashmir’s tourism belt, is now at the heart of a fresh wave of fear and uncertainty.

The government pressed a chopper into service for the evacuation of the injured, adding some of the wounded were brought down from the meadows by local people on their ponies.

Also Read: Keran Valley: A journey to Kashmir’s borderland beauty

The location of the attack Baisaran Valley, accessible only by foot or horseback has raised further concerns. The incident comes before the start of the annual Amarnath Yatra, which is set to begin on July 3. One of the two pilgrimage routes starts from Pahalgam itself. With registration already underway, the attack raises troubling questions about security preparedness and the safety of the millions of pilgrims expected to arrive in the Valley.

Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed his outrage in a strongly worded post on X (formerly Twitter), calling the perpetrators “inhuman animals” and terming the incident “an abomination.” He added, “Needless to say, this attack is much larger than anything we have seen directed at civilians in recent years.”

By the end of the day, several tourists had reportedly begun fleeing not just Pahalgam, but also other parts of Kashmir, abandoning their vacation plans and seeking safety, leaving Kashmir and its tourism industry in enveloped in serious uncertainty over its future as Tuesday’s attack is by far the deadliest attack in the region since 2019 Pulwama terror attack that led to the deaths of over 50 personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

Industry in panic

For many in Kashmir’s tourism and hospitality sector, the timing of the attack could not be worse. The meadows of Pahalgam were alive with visitors until Tuesday afternoon, when gunshots replaced the sound of horses and laughter. As panic spread, tourists abandoned their itineraries and fled the Valley.

“This was supposed to be the best season for us. Spring is here, and the valley was in full bloom. We had domestic tourists coming in from Gujarat, Delhi, Maharashtra and even international groups from Malaysia and Thailand. Pahalgam was packed just this morning. But after the attack, everything collapsed. Tourists started fleeing within hours, some rushed to Srinagar, while others left Kashmir altogether. Now we are left with barely 25 pc of the tourists who,” Riyaz Ahmad, CEO of Swami Darshan Travels, a tour operator who also runs a hotel in Pahalgam, tells Media India Group.

Also Read: PDP’s push for alcohol prohibition in Kashmir sparks tourism debate

Ahmad emphasises that he fears that this attack could set Kashmir back to the period when tourism industry had collapsed.

“We are scared now, really scared. We do not know if tourists will still come or not. This is our main season, the time we all wait for, and now everything has changed. Our livelihood depends on tourism, every shop, every taxi, every home here is connected to it. Tourism is the backbone of Kashmir. One attack like this, and we fear we could go back to where we were a few years ago, when everything had collapsed,” he adds.

Hotels, too, are bracing for a wave of cancellations.

“We have seen this pattern before. One attack and it is like hitting a reset button. Even if security is beefed up, the damage to tourists’ confidence takes months, sometimes years, to repair. Bookings have been cancelled and hotels are already starting to vacate. It feels like everything we built is slipping away again,” says Ahmad.

As Kashmir began shedding its image of fear and conflict, tourists were returning in droves, until a single attack threatened to undo it all.

“People had finally started coming to Kashmir without fear, the old stereotypes were vanishing. We were seeing families, solo travellers, even foreigners walking around freely. There was a new sense of trust. But now, after this attack, we seriously doubt if tourists will feel safe enough to return anytime soon. Incidents like this hit them hard, emotionally and psychologically. I think it will take months to recover that trust. And this was our peak season, we were counting on it,” Mohd Moozin Shah, General Manager, ApexMan Advisory & Tour, a tour operator in Srinagar, tells Media India Group.

As news of the Pahalgam attack spread across the country, many tourists who were planning to visit Kashmir are now gripped by fear and uncertainty. With summer holidays approaching, would-be travellers are questioning whether it is still safe to go.

Also Read: Kashmir’s frozen waterfalls: A winter wonderland 

“We were planning a family trip to Kashmir in June, Pahalgam was on top of our list. I have been following all the travel blogs and videos, and it looked so peaceful lately. But after this attack, my family is really hesitant. We hadn’t booked our flights yet, thankfully, but now we are not sure if it is worth the risk. It is heartbreaking because we were genuinely excited to finally experience the beauty of Kashmir,” Aasian Bodra, who works in Axis Bank in Delhi, tells Media India Group.

Despite the loss of life and the fear it has rekindled, many locals are urging tourists not to abandon the Valley just yet.

“Kashmiris have worked very hard to bring peace and tourism back. We plead with the rest of India, don’t let a few people with guns define us,” Ghulam Nabi, who runs a shikara on Dal Lake tells Media India Group.