<p>Srinagar: In the weeks following the deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam that killed 25 tourists and a local on April 22, flight operations and passenger arrivals at the Srinagar International Airport have plunged sharply - a stark indication of the blow dealt to Kashmir’s tourism sector at the peak of the season.</p><p>Official data reveals a near 50 per cent drop in both air traffic and passenger footfall, as concerns over safety continue to deter potential visitors.</p><p>On April 21, a day before the attack, the airport was abuzz with activity, handling 104 flights (52 arrivals and 52 departures) and processing 19,641 passengers. </p><p>Of these, 9,640 arrived in Srinagar, signalling strong tourist inflow, while 10,001 passengers departed the Valley.</p><p>However, by June 11, the daily flight count had plummeted to just 50 flights (25 arrivals and 25 departures), with only 7,762 passengers handled on the day - a drop of over 60 per cent from pre-attack figures. Arrivals were recorded at 4,438, while 3,328 passengers flew out.</p><p>Fast forward to June 11, the number of daily flights operating from the airport dropped to just 50 (25 arrivals and 25 departures), with a total of 7,762 passengers handled. Of these, 4,438 arrived in the Valley while 3,328 flew out.</p><p>An official at the airport, speaking on condition of anonymity, described the decline as “unprecedented in recent years”, especially for May and June, traditionally the busiest for Kashmir’s tourism and hospitality sectors.</p>.Mamata slams Centre over Pahalgam terror attack, claims BJP failed to ensure national security.<p>“The slump has not only affected airlines and the airport authority but has had a cascading impact on hotels, transporters, shikarawalas, and small traders who depend heavily on tourism,” he said.</p><p>The April 22 attack in Pahalgam is widely seen as a major setback to Kashmir’s renewed tourism momentum, built over successive record-breaking years post-Covid. </p><p>Travel agents and industry insiders say cancellations began almost immediately after the incident, with group tours and individual bookings from metro cities being called off in large numbers.</p><p>“This is the worst summer season we’ve seen in a decade barring Covid years (2020, 2021),” said a hotelier in Srinagar’s Boulevard area. “What makes it worse is that the damage has been done at a time when Kashmir was being promoted aggressively as a safe destination.”</p><p>While security agencies have since increased deployment in major tourist hubs and the government has announced a slew of confidence-building measures, the data from Srinagar airport suggests that fears over safety still loom large in the minds of travellers.</p><p>With the Amarnath Yatra scheduled to begin later this month, stakeholders hope the trend reverses — but most agree that it will take a significant effort to restore confidence among domestic tourists.</p><p>“Kashmir has always been resilient,” said a tourism official, “but the challenge now is to rebuild not just security, but trust.”</p>
<p>Srinagar: In the weeks following the deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam that killed 25 tourists and a local on April 22, flight operations and passenger arrivals at the Srinagar International Airport have plunged sharply - a stark indication of the blow dealt to Kashmir’s tourism sector at the peak of the season.</p><p>Official data reveals a near 50 per cent drop in both air traffic and passenger footfall, as concerns over safety continue to deter potential visitors.</p><p>On April 21, a day before the attack, the airport was abuzz with activity, handling 104 flights (52 arrivals and 52 departures) and processing 19,641 passengers. </p><p>Of these, 9,640 arrived in Srinagar, signalling strong tourist inflow, while 10,001 passengers departed the Valley.</p><p>However, by June 11, the daily flight count had plummeted to just 50 flights (25 arrivals and 25 departures), with only 7,762 passengers handled on the day - a drop of over 60 per cent from pre-attack figures. Arrivals were recorded at 4,438, while 3,328 passengers flew out.</p><p>Fast forward to June 11, the number of daily flights operating from the airport dropped to just 50 (25 arrivals and 25 departures), with a total of 7,762 passengers handled. Of these, 4,438 arrived in the Valley while 3,328 flew out.</p><p>An official at the airport, speaking on condition of anonymity, described the decline as “unprecedented in recent years”, especially for May and June, traditionally the busiest for Kashmir’s tourism and hospitality sectors.</p>.Mamata slams Centre over Pahalgam terror attack, claims BJP failed to ensure national security.<p>“The slump has not only affected airlines and the airport authority but has had a cascading impact on hotels, transporters, shikarawalas, and small traders who depend heavily on tourism,” he said.</p><p>The April 22 attack in Pahalgam is widely seen as a major setback to Kashmir’s renewed tourism momentum, built over successive record-breaking years post-Covid. </p><p>Travel agents and industry insiders say cancellations began almost immediately after the incident, with group tours and individual bookings from metro cities being called off in large numbers.</p><p>“This is the worst summer season we’ve seen in a decade barring Covid years (2020, 2021),” said a hotelier in Srinagar’s Boulevard area. “What makes it worse is that the damage has been done at a time when Kashmir was being promoted aggressively as a safe destination.”</p><p>While security agencies have since increased deployment in major tourist hubs and the government has announced a slew of confidence-building measures, the data from Srinagar airport suggests that fears over safety still loom large in the minds of travellers.</p><p>With the Amarnath Yatra scheduled to begin later this month, stakeholders hope the trend reverses — but most agree that it will take a significant effort to restore confidence among domestic tourists.</p><p>“Kashmir has always been resilient,” said a tourism official, “but the challenge now is to rebuild not just security, but trust.”</p>