SRINAGAR: The famous hill station of Pahalgam in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, once considered a preferred destination for visitors from outside Jammu and Kashmir, is currently witnessing an unusual scene. While thousands of locals continue to flock to the picturesque spot on a daily basis, there is virtually no trace of non-local tourists.
Several hoteliers confirmed that business has been badly hit due to the minimal presence of non-local tourists. “Our hotels are running almost empty. The only relief is that locals are thronging the place, but their spending pattern is different and does not compensate for the absence of outside guests,” a hotelier said.
Shopkeepers and traders also expressed concern, saying tourism had begun showing signs of recovery earlier this summer, particularly after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah convened a cabinet meeting in Pahalgam to convey a message of peace and normalcy. That move, they said, had reassured many stakeholders and created hope for a positive tourism season.
However, with the onset of the Amarnath Yatra, the flow of tourists started to decline. “As soon as the Yatra began, tourists vanished. Now, the place is almost entirely dependent on local visitors,” a trader remarked.
A couple of hoteliers admitted that their businesses have witnessed a sharp slump, adding that the absence of tourists has dealt a serious blow to the local economy, which depends heavily on seasonal inflows.
Despite the current downturn, Pahalgam continues to remain abuzz with local families, students, and groups of young people who prefer to spend weekends and holidays in the serene valley. Locals have effectively kept the hill station alive, but stakeholders say that sustained non-local tourist presence is vital for long-term growth and stability of the tourism-driven economy. [KNT]
