<p>Srinagar: Houseboat owners in <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/kashmir">Kashmir </a>faced a sharp decline in occupancy rates during the New Year celebrations, with 90 to 95 per cent of the floating accommodations remaining vacant.</p><p>This marks a significant drop compared to last year’s 70 to 75 per cent occupancy, leaving many houseboat owners and local tourism operators grappling with financial losses.</p><p>Manzoor Pakhtoon, President of the Kashmir Houseboat Owners Association (KHBOA), said that travel advisory by the US asking its nationals not to travel to Jammu and Kashmir, ongoing economic slowdown and other factors have impacted the influx of tourists to the valley.</p><p>“90 per cent to 95 per cent of houseboats remained vacant on New Year celebrations, compared to 70 per cent to 75 per cent occupancy previous year. The lack of a strong tourist flow has affected houseboat owners and other stakeholders in the tourism industry,” he said.</p>.Over 400 arrested in bovine smuggling cases in Jammu last year: Police.<p>Pakhtoon said, long ago the tourism season in Kashmir used to be for 90-days, then 120 days, “but for the past two or three years, we had a year-round flow.”</p><p>“However, this year, the valley has seen a decline in tourism flow,” he said and added that they expect the government to play a role in tourism revival.</p><p>Many houseboat owners, who rely on the winter season for earnings, reported empty bookings and significant losses.</p><p>“It has been a tough six months. Since July the situation is far worse. Almost all of our boats are empty,” said Sajjad Ahmad, a houseboat owner in Dal Lake. “We hope that things improve with the upcoming spring season.”</p><p>Kashmir tourism has long been synonymous with the vibrant houseboat experience and community. These houseboats have also been one of the primary reasons for attracting tourists to the valley from all across the globe. Houseboats have been the major attraction particularly for foreign tourists for the past so many decades.</p><p>The houseboats used as hotels and homestays have been crafted years ago with the greatest of care. In 1982, Jammu and Kashmir government banned the registration of new houseboats.</p><p>Till that year, as per available details, Kashmir was home to approximately 3,500 houseboats. Now, that number is just 910.</p>
<p>Srinagar: Houseboat owners in <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/kashmir">Kashmir </a>faced a sharp decline in occupancy rates during the New Year celebrations, with 90 to 95 per cent of the floating accommodations remaining vacant.</p><p>This marks a significant drop compared to last year’s 70 to 75 per cent occupancy, leaving many houseboat owners and local tourism operators grappling with financial losses.</p><p>Manzoor Pakhtoon, President of the Kashmir Houseboat Owners Association (KHBOA), said that travel advisory by the US asking its nationals not to travel to Jammu and Kashmir, ongoing economic slowdown and other factors have impacted the influx of tourists to the valley.</p><p>“90 per cent to 95 per cent of houseboats remained vacant on New Year celebrations, compared to 70 per cent to 75 per cent occupancy previous year. The lack of a strong tourist flow has affected houseboat owners and other stakeholders in the tourism industry,” he said.</p>.Over 400 arrested in bovine smuggling cases in Jammu last year: Police.<p>Pakhtoon said, long ago the tourism season in Kashmir used to be for 90-days, then 120 days, “but for the past two or three years, we had a year-round flow.”</p><p>“However, this year, the valley has seen a decline in tourism flow,” he said and added that they expect the government to play a role in tourism revival.</p><p>Many houseboat owners, who rely on the winter season for earnings, reported empty bookings and significant losses.</p><p>“It has been a tough six months. Since July the situation is far worse. Almost all of our boats are empty,” said Sajjad Ahmad, a houseboat owner in Dal Lake. “We hope that things improve with the upcoming spring season.”</p><p>Kashmir tourism has long been synonymous with the vibrant houseboat experience and community. These houseboats have also been one of the primary reasons for attracting tourists to the valley from all across the globe. Houseboats have been the major attraction particularly for foreign tourists for the past so many decades.</p><p>The houseboats used as hotels and homestays have been crafted years ago with the greatest of care. In 1982, Jammu and Kashmir government banned the registration of new houseboats.</p><p>Till that year, as per available details, Kashmir was home to approximately 3,500 houseboats. Now, that number is just 910.</p>