Pahalgam Alliance Sounds Alarm Over Tourism Crisis, Seeks Immediate Government Intervention
Pahalgam: The Pahalgam Alliance, representing hoteliers, taxi operators, pony wallahs, traders, tent owners, restaurant operators and other tourism stakeholders, has sounded the alarm over the prolonged slowdown in tourism, urging the Lieutenant Governor’s administration and the Omar Abdullah-led government to take immediate and concrete measures to revive tourist footfall in Kashmir.
Addressing a press conference in Pahalgam, Hoteliers Association President Mushtaq Pahalgami, Pony owners Association President Bilal Ahmad Magray and Pahalgam Alliance President Mohd. Amin Rather said tourism-dependent communities have been facing severe financial hardships for nearly two years due to the decline in tourist arrivals.
The representatives said the impact is being felt across the entire tourism ecosystem, including hotels, taxis, pony services, restaurants, trade, tents and other allied activities, with thousands of families directly or indirectly dependent on the sector.
They expressed particular concern over the reduced duration of the Amarnath Yatra and the discontinuation of the pilgrimage from the Pahalgam axis, saying the development has adversely affected those who had invested heavily in facilities along the traditional route.
The stakeholders said many people had invested their savings and borrowed money to establish tents, temporary restaurants, pony services, transport facilities and other infrastructure along the Amarnath Yatra track, expecting the pilgrimage season to provide a major source of annual income.
The Alliance urged the government to treat the present situation as an urgent economic concern and launch a sustained and result-oriented campaign to restore Kashmir’s tourism sector.
The representatives particularly called upon the administration to make full use of upcoming tourism trade fairs, including TTF, SATTE and other major national tourism events scheduled to be held in different states in the coming months.
They said such platforms provide an important opportunity to showcase Kashmir directly to tour operators, travel agencies and potential visitors from across the country, and urged the government to present Kashmir as a safe, welcoming and year-round tourist destination.
The stakeholders also called for greater coordination between the government, Tourism Department, local trade bodies and tourism associations so that promotional campaigns result in a tangible increase in tourist arrivals.
They stressed that tourism remains the economic backbone of Pahalgam, supporting thousands of families involved in hospitality, transportation, pony services, trade, restaurants, camping and other allied sectors.
The Pahalgam Alliance appealed to the Lieutenant Governor’s administration and the Omar Abdullah government to take the concerns of all tourism stakeholders seriously and formulate a concrete action plan to increase tourist footfall, strengthen tourism promotion and support people who have suffered due to the prolonged downturn.
The representatives said they are seeking long-term and sustainable measures rather than temporary relief, so that tourism businesses can recover, investments can be protected and thousands of families dependent on the sector can regain economic stability.
