Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday re-opened for tourists for the first time since the nationwide lockdown was imposed in the second week of March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, stakeholders in the tourism industry termed the announcement “sudden and without preparations”.
The J&K administration has chalked out standard operating procedures (SOPs) for prospective tourists to make their travel hassle free. According to the guidelines, COVID-19 testing and pre-bookings for accommodation and transport facility is a must.
“In phase-I, there will be partial opening of the tourism sector for external visitors from outside J&K, limited to tourists arriving by air only,” a government official said.
Testing protocol
Nasir Shah, chairman of the Indian Association of Tour Operators Association- J&K and Ladakh chapters, said the SOPs will allow a prospective tourist to get COVID-19 test in advance too.
“A tourist’s sample will also be taken at the airport on his arrival and a report will come within 24 hours. Till that time, he will stay in the hotel room and not in any quarantine centre. Once negative, he can visit to whatever place he wants,” Mr. Shah told The Hindu.
The early announcement, however, has surprised the tour operators. “The administration did not give hotel owners enough time to sanitise, refurbish and train staff regarding COVID-19 protocols. Even otherwise we do not expect tourist arrival before September,” Mr. Shah said.
The J&K order does not have any specific guidelines for local tourists from the Valley.
“The administration should have asked all tourism authorities governing the hotspots like Pahalgam, Gulmarg and Sonamarg to set up websites and start online registrations to limit footfall of local tourists. Beside, pre-bookings done online by hotels should be considered as a travel pass to these locations,” he added.
In contrast, the administration closed Pahalgam for local tourists “due to heavy rush on weekends” last week.
The travel advisory issued on August 2 last year, ahead of revocation of J&K's special status, cost the tourism sector around ₹1,056 crore up to December, according to the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industries.
“The losses, if one considers only 70% occupancy of hotels, would run up to ₹18,000 crore till August this year,” Mr. Shah said.
Queries from J&K parties
The government move to re-open tourism coincides with re-imposition of lockdown measures in the wake of growing number of deaths and positive cases of COVID-19.
"How will tourism and lockdown go together? Or does the government want Kashmiris to stay home and the tourists to have a party? What will they see, eat? Is Amarnath yatra a lesser COVID-19 threat than a mosque, a gurdwara, a church?” said National Conference (NC) spokesman Imran Nabi Dar.
The People’s Democratic Party also questioned the move to hold the Amarnath yatra amid such stringent lockdown in large parts of the Valley, especially in south Kashmir and Srinagar.
“The government reimposed restrictions amid a spike in coronavirus cases in Kashmir. What is the status of Amarnath Yatra?” said PDP spokesman Tahir Sayeed.
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