Kashmir tourism stakeholders unite to condemn terror attacks as winter season approaches

With the recent spike interror incidents in the Kashmir Valley and the winter tourism season about to begin, the tourist stakeholders in the region are worried that these attacks will have a direct impact on one of the biggest industries of the Valley. Thishas led to all stakeholders to cometogether for the first time and condemn these terrorist attacks.

Kashmir Valley has witnessed a rise in terror-related incidents in the last few weeks and, to counter it, security forces have intensified the anti-terrorist operations across the Kashmir division. In the last 10 days, nine encounters have taken place in Kashmir. Eight terrorists, including five foreign terrorists, have been killed by security forces. There have been two encounters in Srinagar city while a grenade attack in one of the busiest Sunday markets led to thedeath of a civilian woman and injured eleven others. There were two attacks close to tourist destinations: Gulmarg and Sonamarg.

Following these attacks, the tourist stakeholders of the Kashmir Valley have come together and condemned these attacks. The hoteliers, houseboat association, Shikara association, travel agents' association and even the taxi associations have come together, condemning the recent attacks across various districts of the Kashmir Valley. Thestakeholders have said that this disruption of peace is unacceptable to Kashmiris.

''We all have gathered here including Minister Satish Sharma and we have all condemned the attacks including the one that took place near to TRC. In which our children got injured and are being treated in the hospital and before this also many attacks, in which soldiers, policemen or civilians have died is not acceptable to Kashmiris. We have seen terrible times and have been fighting for peace for the last 30 years and everything was going normal from the last few years, now our request is please don't do it. This is unacceptable to Kashmiris, and we want peace only, '' said Mushtaq Chaya, Chairman, Jammu and Kashmir Hoteliers Club.

Some of the tourism stakeholders have said that there has been some impact of these attacks on Kashmir Tourism as cancellations have happened in the last few weeks, but they also say that these attacks have not impacted the tourism industry yet. The tourist stakeholders want to send a message to tourists across the country and the world that Kashmir is safe, and they can come to visit anytime.

''All tourist stakeholders got together today to give out a message that Kashmir is very peaceful, and we welcome tourists. Kashmir is safer than any other place in the world. Nobody will bear this inhuman behaviour, and human lives are the most precious lives. Government should probe these incidents. We had some cancellations, but tourism is going well. Though there was some effect as tourists don't want to go to places which are insecure although Kashmir is the safest place on earth, '' said Tariq Ghani Bedaba, President, Chamber of Commerce.

Kashmir Valley has seen tremendous growth in tourist arrivals in the last few years. All the previous records of tourist arrivals have been broken and this winter also the stakeholders are expecting huge arrivals.