Youth's death could be last nail in Kashmir's tourism coffin: Industry
May 08, 2018 21:51
The fragile tourism industry in Kashmir has taken another blow with the death of a tourist hit by stones, and the sector fears that the incident may further affect the already falling footfall in the troubled Valley.
The killing of the Chennai youth could be the proverbial final nail in the coffin of tourism in Kashmir, Ashfaq Siddiq, president Travel Agents Association Kashmir said today.
The tourist. 22-year-old R Thirumani, was critically injured in a stone pelting incident at Narbal yesterday and died later in the day of head injuries, triggering outrage and concern.
"This is a sad incident which should not have happened. Unfortunately, we feel that it will have an impact on tourist arrivals to Kashmir. I think it will be the final nail in the coffin," Siddiq told PTI.
Tourism in the state has already suffered because of prolonged periods of unrest in the Valley, hoteliers said.
There has been a steep fall in the number of domestic tourists since 2016, when the killing of militant Burhan Muzaffar Wani by security forces in July that year led to a prolonged period of violence and stone pelting in the Valley.
The number of tourists fell from 3,91,902 in the first four months of 2016 to 1,69,727 in the same period the next year.
The number in the corresponding period this year was 1,54,062, officials said.
The TAAK president said the association feared cancellation of bookings by tourists in the days to come.
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