Hyd tourists cancel J&K bookings

Hyderabad: The Pahalgam terror attack has triggered large-scale cancellations and inquiries by the tourists who had planned their tours to Kashmir during the summer vacation. There have been inquiries by the tourists including the Amarnath yatris ahead of the yatra in July.

The fear of the terror attack is more as the terrorists have targeted the innocent tourists killing them by asking their names and checking their religion.

The travel agents who had suffered during the last few years because of the Covid pandemic, are now a worried lot with fear of cancellations.

The Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) Telangana and Andhra Pradesh chapter president Nagesh Pampati, who also heads Aeroworld, said that there are almost 150 to 160 cancellations for the tour planned during the coming week or ten days.

The tourists who had planned their visits after three to four weeks have inquired but not cancelled so far. They are inquiring about the security to be provided by the government, said Nagesh Pampati.

He said that they were cancelling the trips on the request from the tourists and the airlines were also good enough to provide a refund for the cancelled tickets.

The TAAI president said that generally, there is heavy rush of Kashmir-bound tourists from the two Telugu States. From Aeroworld alone, more than 1,000 tourists visit Kashmir between April and June every year, he added.

Another tour provider Pavan Singh of Jai Bhavanee Yatra, who operates Amarnath Yatra every year, said that there has been flood of inquiries from the travellers for the Amarnath Yatra.

Pavan Singh has been convincing the yatris that there is a lot of time left for the yatra.

The Pahalgam falls in the route of Amarnath Yatra. It is after passing from this area the pilgrims go towards Chandanwadi and Amarnath cave.

“We have already received eight to ten bookings. I have told the yatris that we are not going now. Our trip will be starting from July 1 and by that time things will settle down and there will be tight security in the Kashmir Valley,” said Pavan Singh.

He further said that the military takes over the security during Amarnath yatra and they will check every bag the tourists take.