SRINAGAR: The silence is deafening in the lobby of Hotel Triden, where light filters from the glass door and the ceiling, showcasing rows of empty chairs that once buzzed with the chatter of excited tourists.
Manager Ikhlas Ahmad Rather walks through corridors lined with 45 rooms—43 of them vacant, their doors untouched, their beds perfectly made for guests who will never come.
Just weeks ago, this same hotel reflected Kashmir's booming tourism, with a 95% occupancy rate and advance bookings stretching months ahead. Today, it stands as a hollow monument to how fast things have changed for the tourism industry.
Data Behind Devastation
Kashmir's tourism industry is facing an unprecedented crisis, with visitor numbers plummeting by 95% following recent security incidents and border tensions.
Following the deadly terrorist attack at Baisaran Valley in Pahalgam on April 22, 2025, which killed 25 tourists and a local pony operator, Kashmir's tourism industry has been devastated by heightened security concerns and resulting restrictions. The India-Pakistan skirmishes with drone warfare between May 7 and 10 brought the sluggish pace of tourism to an abrupt end.
The dramatic decline has left the region's tourism infrastructure virtually empty, with all registered hotels across Kashmir currently vacant except for just 200-250 tourists remaining in the entire Kashmir Valley, according to senior officials from the Department of Tourism.
“All registered hotels in the region are currently empty, with only 200-250 tourists present across the Kashmir Valley,” he told the Kashmir Times in the last week of May.
He noted that prior to the Pahalgam incident and subsequent border escalations, there was a 95% decline in tourism, with only 2% of tourists currently visiting Kashmir, according to available data.
Official data obtained by Kashmir Times reveals the severity of the situation. Tourist arrivals dropped from 179,342 visitors in April to just 6,951 by May 18 - a collapse that has sent shockwaves through an industry that forms the backbone of Kashmir's economy.
The numbers have slightly picked up in June with about 300 tourists visiting daily on an average.
"I acknowledge that the tourism sector has experienced significant losses, impacting those directly and indirectly associated with it. This is a challenging period for them," stated a high-level official from the Department of Tourism, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The official confirmed that currently only 2% of normal tourist traffic is visiting Kashmir, representing what he described as a 95% decline in the sector.
The statistics from Srinagar Airport paint a stark picture of Kashmir's tourism collapse. From April 15-21, during what should have been peak season, the airport buzzed with life—56,943 arrivals and 59,116 departures, translating to nearly 9,000-10,000 passengers daily across 48-59 flights.
We have cross-checked the information shared on their Twitter account and found it to be authentic. Based on this verified data, we have compiled and created a PDF document for our internal records.
The officials also mentioned that to access any additional or specific information, prior permission from the security agencies is required. However, the security authorities did not allow an in-person visits for this purpose.
The rhythmic pulse of an economy in full swing suddenly crashed, thereafter. During the disruption week of May 1-7, daily arrivals plummeted to just 16,191 and departures to 14,820. On May 2 alone, arrivals dropped to a mere 3,613 and departures to 2,627—a catastrophic fall that validates the tourism industry's claim of a 95% decline.
From 9,000 plus daily passengers to barely 2,000-3,000, the numbers tell the story of an industry on life support.
The situation worsened dramatically between May 7-13, when all flights were suspended due to escalating India-Pakistan tensions. Tourist inflow dropped to zero. Hotels reported complete cancellations, no check-ins, no bookings—a week of absolute silence where Kashmir's tourism heartbeat flatlined entirely.
After flights resumed on May 13, the recovery remained painfully slow. Weekly arrivals during May 13-19 managed only 21,400 passengers, with daily flights ranging between 20-25—half the pre-crisis levels.
Even by late May, daily passenger traffic remained 30-40% below April volumes. While May 28 saw arrivals cross 4,000 plus for the first time since the crisis, and daily flights had recovered to 41-56, these figures still pale against the 50-59 flights that once carried passengers to Kashmir.
Airport authorities confirmed that most of the passengers were the Hajj pilgrims.
Empty Hotels with Staff Lay-offs
"We went from earning one crore twenty-five lakh rupees during peak season to barely scraping together ₹50,000," Rather says, as he points to the empty dining hall. The hotel, he says, was receiving 100 tourists a day.
Of his 25-member staff—the waiters who served food, the chefs who prepared exquisite feasts, the housekeepers who ensured every room sparkled—only three remain. The rest have been sent home, due to significant reduction in income, which made it difficult to disburse salaries.
The statistics tell a story of devastation: 70% of bookings cancelled immediately after Pahalgam, the remaining 30% were lost when border tensions escalated.
Behind each cancelled reservation is not just a story of economic loss, it is also of humans who have lost their source of livelihood.
Imtiyaz Ahmad from Baramulla, who after three years of unemployment had finally found work as a housekeeper, now finds himself “wandering the streets without any direction” once again, unable to support his ailing father and desperate family.
He now works as a casual daily wage labourer, only if he manages to find work. “I seldom find work, managing only a day or two each week, which is insufficient to cover our needs," Imtiyaz says.
On the famous Boulevard Road in Srinagar, Hotel Aziz owner Mudasir watches his 26 rooms gather dust, and laments the mounting losses. Ten lakh rupees are already gone, electricity and water bills continuing to arrive with regularity, while his staff of 15 has been reduced to three.
Mudasir Ahmad Sheikh from Darsar Pulwama, who worked as a waiter at the hotel for two years, earning a monthly wage of 15,000 rupees, is among the staffers who lost their jobs post-Pahalgam.
“I was the only one supporting my family and took care of all household expenses. Now, being at home with no work, it has become tough to provide for my family. These times are very hard for me,” he says and sighs.
The impact of tourism downfall goes beyond the hotels and their staffers. Every sector connected with tourism has taken a beating – houseboats, shikarawallas, transporters and more.
Floating Ghosts
On the serene waters of Dal Lake, Nigeen Lake, Chinar Bagh and river Jhelum, 850 houseboats, nine out of every ten houseboats were filled with tourists. Today, they sit empty reduced to wooden shells drifting silently on the waters.
Manzoor Ahmad Pakhtoon, Chairman of the Houseboat Association, can’t get over the speed with which the entire industry vanished in 48 hours. "Within just two days after the attack, all houseboats were left empty," he says. Bookings for the next three to four months were cancelled.
The 3,000 people who depend on these floating hotels—owners, chefs, waiters, tour operators—now wait anxiously for tourists who may never return.
"This is our livelihood; we depend on tourism for our survival," Pakhtoon explains, unable to put an exact number on losses, but adds, “it would be in crores”. His association is now desperately reaching out to tour groups in Gujarat, Mumbai, Pune, and Delhi, hoping someone will help restore Kashmir's image.
Tour operator Habib Tapa from Nigeen voices the frustration felt across the community: "A month has passed, and nothing has been done." He dismisses misconceptions about houseboat profits, explaining that "earnings are often consumed by necessary expenses." Like many others, he feels abandoned by a government that should be their lifeline during crisis.
The ripple effects spread beyond the houseboats themselves. Mudasir Mir, who has operated his shikara on Dal Lake for 20 years, used to give 10 rides daily, earning 1,000-1,500 rupees. Now he sits idle on the lake's banks, struggling to meet basic needs. "I could get around 15,000 rupees a month," he reflects, "but the escalation has completely disrupted our business."
Transport Sector Paralysed
The Tourist Reception Centre (TRC) in Srinagar, where tourists board vehicles to reach their planned destinations, is experiencing significant disruptions since April 22.
Parvaez Ahmad, President of the Tourist Reception Centre (TRC), Srinagar, stated that the centre, in association with other taxi stands in Srinagar, has a total of 28,000 vehicles. However, today all vehicles including luxury buses, cabs, tempos, and others, are parked at their respective stands,
Since tourism came to an abrupt halt, the TRC has not received any bookings. This has severely impacted the 18 transport unions associated with the TRC, leaving them without work.
As most vehicles were purchased through bank loans, the monthly EMIs still need to be paid, causing distress among drivers who rely on tourism for their livelihood.
The annual expenses for vehicle owners are significant. For example, Innova owners pay ₹60,000 for fitness certificates, while Crysta owners pay ₹70,000, and tempo and bus owners pay ₹70,000 and ₹80,000, respectively. With the tourism industry at a standstill, it's unclear how these expenses will be covered.
Following the incident, all advanced bookings up to October were cancelled, leaving drivers and union members without work. The situation is further complicated by the fact that vehicles associated with tourism are not even allowed to operate locally, exacerbating the financial struggles of drivers.
Mohammad Ali, a driver from Leh Ladakh with 20 years of experience, had advance bookings up to August, but all of them were cancelled. As a result, he lost around ₹4-5 lakhs in potential earnings over the next four months. His vehicle has been parked at the taxi stand for 16 days, waiting for a new booking.
Ali has had to borrow money from colleagues to send to his family, while using his savings to cover his EMI and vehicle maintenance costs.
Every driver’s story is almost an echo of Mohammad Ali’s.
The TRC union has a reserve fund that is being used to provide some assistance to drivers and members, but the funds are limited. The union is doing its best to support those in need, but it is unclear how long this can be sustained.
Adil Shala, a member of the TRC association, worried over the disproportionate impact of the incident and its aftermath, says that the consequences of the crime should be borne by those responsible, rather than the innocent people who are now facing difficulties.
Although some tourist locations like Gulmarg, Dodhpathri, Sonamarg, and Yousmarg are operational, the number of tourists visiting Kashmir is negligible. According to Younis, only about 100-200 tourists, which is roughly 1% of the usual number, are currently in Kashmir.
Migrant Workers
The crisis has also swept up Kashmir's migrant worker community, even those not directly connected to tourism.
Asrar Ahmad, 42, left his village in Uttar Pradesh's Moradabad in 2012 to open a barber shop in Baramulla's Palhallan village. Despite his area being far from cross-border shelling, fear has gripped migrant families. "My father has called me several times, urging me to return," he says. "The news reports indicate that Kashmir is unsafe and that tourists are leaving, which has increased our families' anxiety."
For seasonal workers like Bashir Ahmad, known as Chotu, the timing couldn't be worse. The 47-year-old mason from Uttar Pradesh has been coming to Kashmir for carpentry work since 2016, but this year's violence has eliminated all opportunities.
"This is the only time I work," he explains, speaking of his planned three-to-five-month stay that has been cut short. With reserved work lined up but unable to proceed due to border tensions, he faces the difficult choice between safety and survival—a dilemma faced by countless migrant workers whose livelihoods depend on Kashmir's stability.
Tourism Revival & Security Concerns
While the tourism industry stakeholders are pinning their hopes on the government for attempts to revive tourism, there is little groundwork that has been done.
The tourism department has suspended all promotional activities. "Due to security issues and safety concerns for tourists, the department has not issued any advisories regarding safe travel to Kashmir," an official said, adding that developing new plans and initiatives will require considerable time.
Following the Pahalgam attack, neither the Indian government nor the Kashmir administration issued advisories declaring Kashmir unsafe. However, United States and United Kingdom issued advisories to its citizens against traveling to Kashmir.
48 out of 87 tourist destinations across Kashmir Valley, including Tosamaidan, Dodhpathri, Dachigam, Wullar Vintage Park, Kaousarnag, Baba Reshi and Kokernag, are still closed due to security reasons.
Baisaran Valley and Aru Valley in Pahalgam, also remain off-limits to visitors due to heightened security sensitivities in those areas. All other tourist locations in Pahalgam are open for tourists.
As tourists begin to return to Kashmir, some of these closed destinations will be gradually reopened, a tourism department official said.
Despite the suspension of official promotional efforts, the tourism department maintains contact with prominent travel groups from Goa and Mumbai, which are planning to assess the current situation and potentially communicate safety messages to potential visitors.
A high-ranking tourism official maintained while requesting anonymity said that it will take time to formulate plans, and the Department of Tourism has not yet established any specific initiatives.
Regarding individuals involved in tourism, he stated, “We are actively working with the authorities to provide assistance in any way possible.”
The official expressed hope that the situation will normalize soon to prevent further losses, as preparations are underway for the upcoming yatra. He emphasized the importance of achieving a peaceful environment to facilitate the revival of tourism.
In a bid to promote tourism recovery, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah held a cabinet meeting in Pahalgam on June 10, as a symbolic gesture to support locals and tourists. He emphasized tourism's importance and, during a cycling trip, interacted with locals and tourists, reinforcing the message of safety and revival.
“His presence was reassuring. It sent a message that the government is serious about reviving tourism,” said one shopkeeper in Pahalgam, Ajaz Ahmad. Hoteliers also praised it as encouraging.
But many observers in Srinagar described the move as a meaningless photo-op.
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