Following the April 22 Pahalgam attack, the Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Department has issued a directive mandating all tourism operators to provide full refunds and waive cancellation fees for affected travellers. Acting on instructions from the Union Tourism Ministry, the circular clearly states that hoteliers, guest house owners, homestay and houseboat operators, travel agents, and excursion agents must refund all booking amounts without imposing any penalties. The directive, dated April 23, has also been circulated to major online booking platforms, including MakeMyTrip, Yatra, Goibibo, Clear Trip, EaseMyTrip, Ixigo, Airbnb, Agoda, Thrillophilia, Booking.com, and Expedia, to ensure compliance. This unprecedented move aims to preserve Kashmir’s tourism reputation amid widespread booking cancellations and heightened security concerns. Authorities have also enhanced security across major tourist spots in the valley to reassure visitors. The incident threatens to disrupt the strong tourism rebound Kashmir had been witnessing post-pandemic, with 2025 initially projected to be a record-breaking year for visitor arrivals.
