23-04-2025
Scores of UAE residents cancel holidays to Kashmir after Pahalgam terror attacks
Dubai: Scores of UAE residents are reportedly cancelling their planned holidays to Kashmir following the recent terror attacks in Pahalgam, travel agents and affected individuals have said. The attacks, which occurred on Tuesday, have instilled fear and uncertainty among travellers who had booked or were planning trips to the popular destination.
Dubai resident Amal Gireesh said he had planned a trip with his wife Anakha to Kashmir in May and decided to cancel it immediately after the terror attack. 'It had been our wish to visit Kashmir, and we planned to go there in May. We had even decided on May 11 as we had to schedule the other plans during our trip to India,' Gireesh explained.
The couple's excitement to visit Pahalgam was heightened after seeing photos from Amal's cousin, who had been at the same location just two days before the attack. 'My cousin and her husband were at the same spot just two days before the terror attack. We had seen their photos, in which they wore ethnic Kashmiri outfits, and we planned to do the same when we visited Pahalgam.' However, the situation has shifted from excitement to relief for their narrow escape and apprehension about future travel.
'Now, we are all so grateful that they were lucky to have left, and we are scared to go there now. It is so sad that the beautiful Kashmir is hit by terror attacks again after a long period of peace,' he added.
Attacks are terrible for state tourism
Meanwhile, travel agents have said the heinous attacks would significantly affect the state's tourism sector, which has been experiencing a boom since 2021.
It's important to note that there are no direct flights between Srinagar and the UAE, which adds another layer of complexity for travellers. The cancellations are expected to significantly impact the tourism sector in Kashmir, which has seen a revival in recent years.
Afi Ahmed, Chairman of Smart Travels, said Kashmir had become an increasingly popular holiday spot post-pandemic. "It will impact the business badly," Ahmed said, highlighting that many UAE-based Indian expats, having visited home, often opted for a side trip to Kashmir, sometimes sending luggage ahead via air cargo.
Ahmed also mentioned that the winter season, from December to February, is a peak. Still, Kashmir is considered a year-round tourist hotspot. "Fortunately, we don't have a group in Kashmir right now," Ahmed added, stating that they typically handle groups ranging from 200 to 300 passengers annually, including bachelors, families, and adventure travellers.
Kashmir's popularity surged recently, especially after high traffic coinciding with school vacations and holidays like the Eid Al Adha break in June, a busy time for travellers from Kerala. "In a state of panic, people will cancel their trips," Ahmed said.
Sapna Aidasani, Head of Marketing and Public Relations at Pluto Travels, said, 'We had a family who travelled and returned from Kashmir just before the attacks. We have proactively cancelled every other tour," she said. Sapna said Kashmir had become an increasingly popular destination, driven by social media buzz around new hotels like The Khyber and The Lalit.
'Kashmir had become a popular destination – like Switzerland, but not as expensive. This incident was a huge hit for the travel and tourism industry." She expressed hope that assurances would be given to maintain safety.
'Distrust will set in'
On average, Pluto Travels sends over 100 people to Kashmir during favourable weather conditions, with groups ranging from 100 to 120 individuals, often families.
Rashid Abbas, Managing Director of Arooha Travels, also reported cancellations. He said, 'If you look at the list of tourists who were unfortunately killed yesterday, there are nationalities from all over the world. Kashmir was very popular.' He added, 'A lot of people are confused about their travel plans – even though they would like to go, their families are uncomfortable with them going…' Annually, Arooha Travels typically organizes trips for around 500 travellers to Kashmir, with smaller groups of about 30 people monthly.
Raheesh Babu, COO of Musafir, shared similar concerns. 'Business to Kashmir has been robust since 2021… this episode could set things back significantly for the travel/ tourism sector. Whatever happened is extremely tragic. Most of our demand is around the Eid holidays and usual holiday season – many people have just returned from the Eid holidays.'
Airlines special offers
To support those travelling to/from Srinagar, Indian carrier IndiGo offers waivers for cancellation fees or rescheduling charges. Given the emergent situation, the airline said it has also taken steps to keep the fares moderated.
The airline has added special flights to Srinagar from Delhi and Mumbai with immediate effect and will be operating these over and above the regular schedule of 160 weekly flights from/to Srinagar from various parts of India, the airline said in a statement.
