PANAJI
In the aftermath of the deadly Pahalgam terror attack that killed 25 tourists and a resident, Goa-based travel operators are grappling not only with mass cancellations to Kashmir -- one of India’s most sought-after summer destinations -- but also with stalled refunds from hotels and adventure service providers.
Goa Adventure Club’s (GAC) co-proprietor Ahraz Mulla said his agency has already cancelled upcoming hotel bookings for travellers heading to Kashmir. Still, the process of obtaining refunds has hit a wall.
“The hoteliers have not processed refunds claiming there’s been no official communiqué from their government or Tourism Department. Flight refunds are being processed, but only for cancellations made till April 30 and minus the convenience fees,” Mulla told The Goan.
GAC had package Jammu & Kashmir trips scheduled for April 27 and May 2 and while April 27 is cancelled, May 2 is on hold. “We are waiting for clear safety instructions from the government,” he added.
For Daxal Naik of Travel Bug Goa, the struggle is similar. He is coordinating the return of a 26-member group currently in Srinagar, through a rescheduled plan. “Only five seats were available for Thursday. But it looks like they will return on April 26 as originally scheduled,” he said.
Regarding future bookings, Naik confirmed that his agency has already cancelled three group tours and about 7-8 individual trips including honeymoon packages. “The flights are refunding fully till April 30, but the hotels haven’t returned a rupee. They probably understand tourists won't be returning any time soon,” he said adding, “The government-run Gulmarg Gondola is refunding, but other activities, especially those managed by private hoteliers, are not.”
Naik conceded that tour operators are facing mounting losses. “We are trying to contact the concerned authorities for a resolution, but there’s no clarity,” he said.
Mulla explained that bookings for adventure activities including the popular Gulmarg cable car ride, have been difficult to cancel. “Since it’s a government-operated facility, we tried cancelling through the portal, but no refund has come through. The call centre isn’t responding either,” he said.
The ripple effects of the Pahalgam attack are already visible across the Union Territory. In a region where tourism accounts for up to 8 per cent of its gross domestic product, the blow is severe. As per official records, it had an all-time high of 2.36 crore tourists in 2024, up from 34 lakh in 2020. But now, travel agencies in the Valley report that 90 per cent of upcoming bookings have been cancelled.
The abrupt crisis has not only created operational chaos but also led to uncertainty for several tour operators. GAC stated they are constantly getting calls from clients who had booked already or new callers asking if the destination is still safe.
The timing of the attack, at the start of Kashmir’s peak tourist season, could not have been worse. “This was just the beginning of the season. Summer is when Kashmir sees a surge. Now, even those planning trips to Srinagar are afraid. It’s natural,” reputed tour operator Earnest Dias said.
He added that through feedback from those operating domestic tours, he believes that the damage may extend beyond Kashmir. However, some of these cancellations might turn into rerouted trips to Goa.
