Amid rise in cases of ongoing pandemic there has been massive increase in cancellations of hotel bookings by tourists due to fear. Nearly 30 percent hotel booking cancellations have happened in Kashmir due to rise in cases Covid-19, reported Daily Excelsior.
One of the most famous tourist places, Gulmarg also saw cancellations amid rise in cases in past few days. The Khyber Himalayan Resort and Spa, Gulmarg which was fully sold for January is witnessed 10 percent cancellations in past few days.
Vinit Chhabra, General Manager of the hotel told Excelsior that there is general sense of fear amongst tourists due to pandemic which as a result affected bookings. He further said that they were totally occupied for the month but now they are witnessing cancellations.
Also pandemic has affected the other stakeholders related to tourism industry such as travel agents and they fear more cancellations in the coming weeks. One the leading travel agent of the Valley and Vice Chairman J&K Tourism Alliance, Shameem Ahmad Shah said that for the last one week there have been 30 percent cancellations of bookings in hotels and houseboats.
He further informed that large number of tourists visiting Kashmir presently is from Maharashtra, Gujarat and Delhi and added that these three States have been badly affected due to pandemic.
Kashmir witnessed a major tourist footfall in last three months of October, November and December. Director Tourism, Dr G N Itoo, informed that 1.27 lakh and 1.43 lakh tourists visited Kashmir in November and December respectively.