Daijiworld Media Network - Goa

Goa, Apr 25: Following the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 25 tourists and a local resident, travel operators in Goa are facing significant challenges. Mass cancellations to Kashmir, a popular summer destination, and delays in processing refunds from hotels and adventure service providers have added to their woes.

Ahraz Mulla, co-proprietor of Goa Adventure Club (GAC), stated that the agency had to cancel hotel bookings for upcoming trips to Kashmir scheduled for April 27 and May 2. However, obtaining refunds has proven difficult, with hoteliers citing a lack of official communication from the government or the Kashmir Tourism Department. “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.

Despite having to cancel the April 27 trip, Mulla is holding off on cancelling the May 2 trip, awaiting safety guidelines from the government. Similarly, Daxal Naik of Travel Bug Goa is coordinating the return of a 26-member group in Srinagar, with the group’s return rescheduled to April 26. Naik also confirmed that his agency has cancelled multiple group and individual bookings, 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.

The situation has escalated as the ripple effects of the terror attack are already visible across the region. Kashmir, where tourism contributes up to 8 percent of the GDP, has seen an overwhelming 90 percent cancellation rate for upcoming bookings. As tourism in the region hit a high of 2.36 cr visitors in 2024, this blow to the industry comes at the start of the peak tourist season, making the timing particularly damaging.

Mulla shared those cancellations for adventure activities like the Gulmarg cable car ride, a popular tourist attraction, have been especially difficult to process. Though the service is government-operated, refund requests submitted through the portal remain unresolved, with the call center unresponsive.

Tour operators are concerned not only about the immediate losses but also about the broader impact on future tourism. “The timing of the attack, at the start of Kashmir’s peak tourist season, could not have been worse. Summer is when Kashmir sees a surge,” said Earnest Dias, a reputed tour operator. He added that many tourists are now reconsidering their travel plans to Srinagar. "It’s natural for people to be afraid."