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Time of India
14-05-2025
- Time of India
Thaw in war but not travel: Tourists skip Himalayan belt, take south dive for holidays
Lucknow: After the recent war-like atmosphere along the India-Pakistan border, travel patterns are witnessing a shift this vacation season. Tourists are staying away from the Himalayan belt, including Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh, and Jammu and Kashmir. In contrast, southern destinations such as Munnar, Ooty, and Wayanad, as well as the scenic Kerala backwaters, are gaining popularity. Island getaways like Lakshadweep and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands are also witnessing a significant surge in tourist bookings. Tension between India and Pakistan in the wake of Pahalgam terror attack has resulted in a surge of cancellations and a marked drop in bookings across Himachal's popular destinations, including Shimla, Manali, and Dharamshala. A managing director in a destination management company, Fuzail Ahmad, said, "There is a sharp drop in bookings after the recent border tensions. Many tourists cancelled their trips to the Himalayan destinations like Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. However, a number of travellers are now turning to popular South Indian spots like Munnar, Ooty and Wayanad, which are being seen as a safer option this vacation season."Gaurav Sharma, a Lucknow-based travel operator, said, "We've seen at least a 30–40% rise in inquiries for South Indian destinations in the last two weeks. Tourists are not willing to take chances with regions they perceive as unstable, even if those areas are actually safe. Perception is playing a big role this season."Ashwini Nagar, 39, a manager in a private firm, stated, "We were planning a family trip to Himachal in the upcoming vacation. But due to cross-border tension, we are dropping the plans."Rajveer Sonkar, 46, a businessman from Lucknow, said, "We only get time during this season as the schools of our children close for summer vacation, and my business also slows down. We planned our vacation in Kashmir this time, which we are shifting to Munnar now."Many tourists have cancelled their vacation plans altogether, citing safety concerns and uncertainty following the recent the peak summer travel season underway, tourism stakeholders in the north are hoping for improved conditions, while southern states are preparing to welcome a larger share of holidaymakers.
Time of India
10-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Tension in the air clips internationaltourists' wings
1 2 Lucknow: Tension between India and Pakistan has led to flight cancellations and soaring ticket prices. Those who had planned holiday, business trip, religious pilgrimage and international travel for work or study are caught in a limbo. Travellers planning to visit Central Asia, Iraq, Iran, or the Gulf are among the hardest hit. Closure of Pakistan's airspace forced airlines to reroute flights along longer, more expensive routes, resulting in widespread cancellations and reshuffling of travel itineraries during the peak feel the pinch all the more as airfares have surged drastically in just a few days. Flights that once passed through northern routes — now restricted due to the geopolitical standoff — are operating at limited capacity, pushing seat availability down and prices up. As a result, tour operators and airlines are flooded with cancellations and frantic rescheduling of a destination management company, Fuzail Ahmad, said top summer destinations like Azerbaijan, Tunisia and Uzbekistan saw steep decline in interest, adding, "Airfare increased due to detour has discouraged tourists. But we're seeing noticeable shift towards Southeast Asia — places like Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia —which remain accessible and cost-effective," he explained. Travel agent Ritesh Keshri said, "We used to receive 70–100 bookings from Lucknow alone for Central Asia, but international bookings dropped sharply. Just last week, packages to Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and Georgia cost around Rs 1.25 lakh per person — now the same trips are priced up to Rs 1.7 lakh per person."A businessman from Lucknow, Rajesh Agarwal, had to call off his family vacation to Azerbaijan. "Airfares increased by Rs 25,000 per person. The total cost pushed the trip far beyond our budget, we had no option but to cancel," he tour operator, Azam Khan, said, "This couldn't have happened at a worse time. It's the peak of summer travel — religious tours, including Hajj and ziyarat tours of Iran and Iraq. Now, clients are calling in panic, some in tears. For many, these trips were once-in-a-lifetime."The crisis also hit pilgrimage tourism , particularly to Iran and Iraq. Zama Rizvi, who organises such tours, said bookings slowed. "The season begins next month, but with airfares up and routes changed, many are hesitant to confirm."Students and migrant workers heading to Europe or the Gulf — many of whom depend on affordable, direct connections through northern India — are among the hardest hit. With limited options and skyrocketing costs, many are postponing or cancelling their trips mall manager in Saudi Arabia, Akram Khan, visiting Lucknow on vacation, shared similar frustration. "My return flight was scheduled for May 12, but with all this uncertainty, I had to cancel my travel," he said.
