Srinagar, May 25: One month after the Pahalgam terror attack, Kashmir’s tourism sector is reeling from the fallout, with a sharp decline in tourist footfall prompting airlines to slash airfares to the valley. Once soaring ticket prices have now dropped significantly, offering rare bargains for travelers — but the passengers are still missing.
From Sky-High to Rock-Bottom: Airfare Drops Drastically
Airlines are now offering one-way tickets from Delhi to Srinagar for as low as ₹3,800–₹4,500, a sharp contrast to pre-attack rates which were often over ₹15,000. Even flights from Mumbai to Srinagar, which had previously surged to as much as ₹28,000, can now be booked for under ₹5,000 — a dramatic fall rarely seen during the peak summer season.
By comparison, tickets for the Kashmir-bound Vande Bharat Express range between ₹2,000 to ₹3,000 for routes to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi. Currently, air travel not only offers better convenience but also competes favorably on price. Yet despite these incentives, traveler turnout remains weak.
Terror Attack Casts Long Shadow Over Tourism
The price plunge follows the April 22 terrorist attack in the Baisaran area of Pahalgam, where a group of civilians was targeted in a brutal assault. The incident led to widespread concern over security in the region and a noticeable decline in bookings to Kashmir.
Before the attack, Kashmir-bound flights were experiencing a price surge due to high demand. Travel from Delhi to Srinagar routinely cost over ₹15,000, with some last-minute fares going even higher based on availability and booking time.
A report by Dainik Jagran confirmed the trend after speaking to several travel agencies, who acknowledged that airfare reductions were a direct response to decreased demand.
Local Operators Confirm Sharp Decline in Demand
Irshad Ahmad, a Srinagar-based travel operator, described the fall in airfares as “unprecedented for this time of year.” He added, “This kind of price drop in the summer season hasn’t happened in years. The Baisaran attack changed everything overnight.”
Another travel business owner, Jameel Ahmad, echoed similar sentiments. “Summer is typically peak tourist season when fares shoot up. Prices had already climbed this year, and had things gone smoothly, only high-income travelers could have afforded flights,” he said. “But now, even with lower fares, people are hesitant to visit.”
Outlook: Caution Overshadows Bargains
Despite the affordability, travelers remain wary, and the tourism industry is left grappling with both the economic and emotional aftermath of the violence. While airlines continue to offer deep discounts in hopes of reviving interest, the road to recovery for Kashmir’s travel sector appears uncertain — underscoring the far-reaching impact of a single act of terror on a region’s livelihood.
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