'not Worth The Risk...will Stop Urging Kashmir Visits': Snapdeal Co-founder Kunal Bahl After Pahalgam Attack

After nan violent onslaught successful Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives, astir of them tourists, Snapdeal co-founder Kunal Bahl connected Wednesday said he will nary longer impulse group to sojourn Kashmir. Bahl said nan consequence is nary longer worthy it.

"Beauty of Pahalgam from my past trip. Despite people’s fearfulness of going to Kashmir, I person ever been nan sound that’s been telling those astir maine to spell acquisition its beauty, culture. Probably nan champion tourer destination of India. I will extremity doing that now. Not worthy nan risk,” Bahl posted connected X.

The fallout from nan massacre astatine Baisaran meadow — a celebrated tourer spot adjacent Pahalgam — has been swift and widespread. Among those killed were 2 foreigners from nan UAE and Nepal, arsenic good arsenic 3 visitors from West Bengal. The attack, which marked a uncommon lawsuit of visitors being straight targeted, has triggered fear, cancellations, and an unraveling of a record-breaking twelvemonth for Jammu and Kashmir tourism.

Author Rahul Pandita echoed akin sentiments, writing: "There are beautiful places successful India. I mean spell to Arunachal, for God sake. Kerala is beautiful. The Western Ghats will return your activity away. Don’t spell to a spot wherever terrorists tin extremity your life. It’s conscionable not worthy it. And if you really inquire maine — and I americium a autochthonal — Kashmir is over-rated."

The effect has been particularly acute successful eastbound India. Kolkata-based circuit operators opportunity nan incident has triggered a activity of cancellations. "This is madness,” said Bilolaksha Das, president of nan eastbound section of nan Travel Agents Federation of India. "There had been panic attacks successful Kashmir before. But ne'er earlier were visitors identified and killed. The full tourism manufacture and each its partners revolving astir Kashmir, some successful nan vale and various parts of India, will spell for a flip aft this incident."

Das confirmed that circuit operators person been flooded pinch cancellation calls since Tuesday night. “With this incident, we are now looking astatine a bleak tourer season, which started from February-end and will proceed till mid-October, including nan Durga Puja vacation,” he said.

The tourism rustle comes conscionable arsenic Jammu and Kashmir had begun to spot historical growth. The region recorded 2.35 crore tourer visits successful 2024, up from 2.11 crore successful 2023 and 1.88 crore successful 2022, driven by improved infrastructure and successful world promotion—including nan hosting of nan G20 Tourism Working Group gathering successful Srinagar past May.

But nan onslaught whitethorn person unraveled those gains. “This will person important ramifications,” said Anil Punjabi, nationalist committee personnel of nan Travel Agents Federation of India. He noted that complete 30% of Kashmir’s tourer inflow comes from eastbound India, particularly West Bengal. “Most of these bookings are either going to beryllium cancelled aliases indefinitely postponed. Tour operators are going to incur dense losses,” he said.

Mrinmoy Chandra, different circuit usability based successful Kolkata, said cancellations began wrong hours of nan attack. “There were truthful galore caller hotels opening successful Pahalgam, and moreover much were being planned,” he said. “Even though overseas tourer postulation is comparatively debased successful summer, this sends retired nan incorrect message.”

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah acknowledged nan wide exodus of tourists. “It’s heartbreaking to spot nan exodus of our guests from nan vale aft yesterday’s tragic panic onslaught successful Pahalgam, but astatine nan aforesaid time, we wholly understand why group would want to leave,” he wrote connected X.

Published on: Apr 23, 2025 6:31 PM IST