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Time of India
13-05-2025
- Time of India
Travel agents suggest ‘cool' alternatives for domestic tourists
Kolkata: Coffee plantations in God's own Country; a hill station in the heart of Eastern Ghats; divine paradise in India's eastern frontier; colonial charm and nature trails with Himalayan views — travel agents are offering tourists from Kolkata an assortment of appetizing options to cooler climes this summer. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now While Darjeeling and places in Sikkim still remain the favourite go-to domestic destinations for tourists from Bengal in summer, travel agents are urging those who have had to cancel trips to Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh following the terror attack and escalation of tension with Pakistan to try out alternative hill India is a tropical country, the vastness of India and its geographical diversity leads to many travel options even during summer across east, north-east, south-west and north India. Flight fares to nearly all destinations are currently at normal level. This indicates that people aren't travelling. That also means good deals at hotels for those who are in a dilemma over whether to travel far, agents are suggesting in comfortable hotels in places where one can drive down. Travel Agents' Federation of India national committee member Anil Punjabi said staycations that had become popular during the pandemic were again in vogue now with people re-evaluating or cancelling their summer vacation plans due to disruptions stemming from heightened tensions between India and Pakistan."The terror attack and India's apt response following escalations of aerial conflict instilled a sense of fear among travellers. Many believe it is not the right time to go for vacations. They are willing to stay back this season with their families. We hope the situation improves soon," said said Travel Agents' Association of India (TAAI) chairman (east) Anjani Lake resident Madhura Bagchi was scheduled for a 10-day trip to Kashmir in the last week of April, which she cancelled due to flight restrictions and ongoing tension. Even those who don't mind travelling to Kashmir, Ladakh or Himachal Pradesh post ceasefire are unable to due uncertainties over flights. IndiGo Airlines has not set any clear timeline for when the flights Jammu, Amritsar, Chandigarh and Srinagar could be back. Air India Express, which had a direct flight from Kolkata to Srinagar, has also expressed its inability to provide a date for commencement of the flight, citing security concerns. TAAI national committee member Manav Soni said only a few who had urgent travel requirement were buying flight tickets and then travelling by train when the flights are getting cancelled.
Time of India
24-04-2025
- Time of India
Bengalis, who contribute around 30% to Kashmir's tourism, accounted for 85% of the cancellations after Pahalgam attack
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Bengalis are known for their love for travel and contribute to around 25-30% to Kashmir's tourism. However, the terror attack in Pahalgam has led to a barrage of cancellations (almost 85%), claim Travel Agents' Federation of India (TAFI) and tour operators in terror attack has sent shockwaves across Bengal's tourism sector as far as Kashmir is concerned, which has been a major tourist attraction in the last few years. Experts believe that the number of international tourists visiting India will also be impacted as two foreigners were killed in Kashmir's Baisaran estimates that the total percentage of tourists from Bengal who visit Kashmir has been around 25-30%. But now, the cancellations have touched 80-85%.'The impact of the terror attack on tourism is huge. People never thought that a lay man or tourist could be killed while he was on a holiday. You go there and return in a coffin. Till the time the government takes action, tourists will be apprehensive about travelling to destinations like Kashmir,' Anil Punjabi, a national committee member of the TAFI, told ET.'Around 80-85% bookings to Kashmir have been cancelled. Only 15% are on hold. When things are peaceful, you go on holidays. Offline agents will not recommend Kashmir unless there is security for the travellers,' Punjabi sentiment remains the same across the country. 'The worst part is that two foreigners have died. Outside India, they are showcasing terror in India. They don't know Kashmir, but India. The entire India is projected as negative for travelling. We will not get foreign tourists and there will be currency loss as well," Punjabi told had returned to normal and post-pandemic, tourism had seen a Kundu, owner of Kolkata-based Explore India travel agency, told ET, that the demand has been so big that bookings for 2026 January and February were full and multiple trips had already been booked.'We were unable to accommodate people. The same happened in February this year. From May till August, during the peak season, the bookings were choc-a-bloc. Now, there are cancellations but also requests for rerouting to Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and other destinations. Today only, we have received such requests. We will not recommend Kashmir due to the safety of tourists. We are suggesting alternative tourist destinations such as Himachal Pradesh, Spiti or Ladakh.'Kundu said the fear factor is high. 'However, some have reached Kashmir and want to complete the trip, but want to avoid Pahalgam. Some have gone to Sonmarg and Gulmarg today. We have a group from Kharagpur who are in Kashmir now. We have removed Pahalgam from their itinerary and the expenditure will be deducted and refunded. We are in constant contact with the groups in Kashmir," he said.
Time of India
24-04-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Tourism industry stands united against terror, loss of life & livelihood in Kashmir
1 2 Kolkata: Various industry bodies in the travel trade sector in Kolkata joined hands to condemn Tuesday's terrorist attack in Kashmir. They marched in central Kolkata to express support for the families of over two dozen tourists who lost their lives, as well as the thousands involved in the tourism industry in Kashmir who lost their livelihood. On Thursday evening, various organisations representing travel agents, tour operators, and tourism and hotel and restaurant associations held a candlelight march. "We are standing up to and staying united against terrorism. It is also a show of solidarity that we will not stop business in Kashmir. We want to send the message that the barbaric attack will not drive fear into us. We will continue to support tourism in Kashmir," said Travel Agents Association of India national committee member Manav Soni. With the peak tourist season being wiped out in Kashmir following lakhs of cancellations, travel agents in Kolkata decided not to pressurise their counterparts in Kashmir to refund the booking amount. They are asking them to hold it in a credit note for use when the situation improves. For now, the agents are offering alternative tours of equivalent value to clients. Anil Punjabi, a national committee member of Travel Agents' Federation of India, said while there was an outpouring of anger against the attack, the tourism industry stakeholders in Kolkata were conscious that the bullets robbed Kashmiris of their livelihood. "We want the govt to outline measures to safeguard tourists and help the industry there," said Punjabi. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo Hotel & Restaurant Association of Eastern India president Sudesh Poddar said: "Foreign tourists unaware of the geopolitics of the region will avoid India." Kashmir's business and travel trade bodies observed a complete shutdown in the Valley on Wednesday. Chamber of Commerce and Industries Kashmir, the Jammu and Kashmir Hoteliers Club, all major travel associations, transporters, restaurant owners, and civil society groups participated in the protest and expressed solidarity with the bereaved families.
Indian Express
24-04-2025
- Indian Express
‘25-30% of Kashmir's tourists are from Bengal': State's tour operators to take out protest march against Pahalgam attack
The recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam has sent shockwaves through the tourism sector in Kashmir, triggering a wave of cancellations and casting a shadow over what was anticipated to be a promising summer season. Tour and travel operators in West Bengal have called for a protest march in Kolkata on Thursday. 'This is not just a terror attack on humanity but also a direct blow to tourism. The rally will start from the West Bengal Youth hostel and go up to the State Assembly,' said a member of the Travel Agents' Federation of India (TAFI). Anil Punjabi, a national committee member of the TAFI, emphasised the significant role of West Bengal tourists in Kashmir. Speaking to The Indian Express, he said, 'Bengal contributes 25-30 percent of Kashmir's total tourism. Kashmir had been very normal, having won tourists' trust over the years. There has been regular traffic from West Bengal to Kashmir, round the year. Sometimes, my travel agents would talk about 'over-tourism' in Kashmir… It took so many years to create this image that has been shattered in seconds.' Akash Kundu, the owner of Kolkata -based Explore India travel agency, shared the immediate impact on his business. 'We have 13 people from Kharagpur who are in Kashmir now. Pahalgam has been removed from the package, and the equivalent of one day's estimated expenditure will be deducted and refunded. We are in constant contact with the group; they are all safe and had themselves requested the cancellation of Pahalgam. Srinagar is a town area, while Pahalgam is off the beaten path, typically requiring a separate car for sightseeing. Our seven-night, eight-day Kashmir package included two nights in Katihar, four in Srinagar, and one in Pahalgam.' Kundu highlighted the prior optimism for the season, stating, 'For 2026, we had launched 17 trips for Kashmir, and all had already been booked. For May, there were multiple bookings for Kashmir, but now we are receiving cancellation requests. Some are more keen to reroute their trips to Himachal Pradesh, Shimla, Spiti, or Ladakh.' Security personnel near the site of the Pahalgam terror attack in Anantnag district. (Photo: Reuters) 'Where there are tourists, you will find Bengalis. The people of Bengal love travelling, but not many want to spend excessively. If the same incident had occurred in Srinagar, it would have impacted the overall tourism of Kashmir. However, a large number of people visit Gulmarg and Vaishno Devi, so those who don't cancel might prefer visiting Gulmarg and then rerouting to Ladakh,' he said. The apprehension among tourists is palpable, leading some travel agencies to reconsider their future offerings for the region. 'In the future, we will refrain from taking bookings for Kashmir. Instead, it is better to book for Himachal Pradesh, Spiti, or Ladakh, which are beautiful places too,' Kundu said. Another tour operator echoed the concerns about the local population's livelihood. 'Sadly, if tourists don't go there, residents will face massive unemployment, and they too might join these militants. The government should have worked on the security system of Kashmir. A trust was built. This is not only our loss but a big loss for the local people who depend on tourism heavily,' he said. As per travel operators, travellers are apprehensive about every spot after this attack — not just Kashmir. 'People want security. Post-pandemic, we saw an increase in domestic travelling because during quarantine, when people explored domestic destinations, they felt that India had beautiful places to explore. Regular travellers from Bengal balanced it with one domestic and one international destination a year. There is a 100 percent cancellation of Kashmir trips after this trip. In fact, we will suggest travellers explore alternative destinations like Himachal Pradesh, Jim Corbett, and others,' said Anil Punjabi. As per the Federation, Kashmir, Rajasthan, and Kerala have thus far been the top three preferred destinations for people in India. 'It will surely take time for people to feel safe to travel to Kashmir. It depends on the government what strict action they will take, and what role they play to win back tourism,' he said. Efforts are underway by travel agencies and authorities to assist affected tourists with cancellations and refunds. Some airlines and online travel platforms are reportedly offering waivers on cancellation and rescheduling fees.
Time of India
23-04-2025
- Time of India
‘Is it safe to travel to India?' Tour agents field jittery calls from abroad
1 2 Kolkata: The terror attack in Kashmir on Tuesday will impact tourism not just in the Valley, but the gunshots will reverberate far and wide, scaring off inbound tourists scheduled to visit Kolkata, Darjeeling, and other popular destinations in Rajasthan and Kerala. A travel agent who brings international tourists to Kolkata during Durga Puja has received calls from jittery visitors booked to travel for the festival this Sept. "Some tourists who took vaccines in Jan for the trip to India in Sept called to express their anxiety. I assured them that India is a vast country and that Kolkata is far removed from Kashmir. But there is no denying that they are jittery," said Jaideep Mukherjee, who has been bringing overseas tourists to Kolkata during Durga Puja for over a decade. Debjit Dutta, chairman of the Indian Association of Tour Operators, who just returned from hard-selling various Indian destinations in Malaysia, has also been on call since Tuesday to explain to international tour operators that the other Indian tourist spots are far away from Kashmir. "When a terror attack targets tourists in any part of a country, tourism in the entire country gets impacted, as it is difficult to explain to an overseas tourist that Kashmir is very far from Kolkata, Udaipur, or Kochi. They want to avoid India. They may even prefer travelling to Kathmandu, which is closer to Kashmir than Kolkata," Dutta said. Industry players are worried that the psychological impact of this terror news on foreign travellers will last a long time. "I fear advance bookings to various Indian destinations until early next year could get cancelled," said Dutta. With the ministry of home affairs putting Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur, Amritsar, and other major Indian cities on high alert following the Pahalgam terror attack, international travel agencies dealing with tourists bound for India have begun putting plans on hold. The United States has already put Kashmir in the red zone. Other countries may also issue travel advisories. Anil Punjabi, a national committee member of the Travel Agents' Federation of India, said, "Given that the attack was on tourists and not security forces, as it happened in the past, there will be a lot of apprehension among foreigners." Manav Soni, a national committee member of the Travel Agents' Association of India, is, however, optimistic. He pointed out travellers to India are mature and know how vast the country is. "Inbound traffic to Kashmir will be impacted for a year. But I believe, and hope, foreigners continue to visit other parts of India. Otherwise, it will be extremely unfortunate," he said.
