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90% tourist bookings for Kashmir cancelled: JKSECC

KT NEWS SERVICE. Dated: 3/10/2019 1:49:23 PM

SRINAGAR, Mar 9: Jammu and Kashmir Socio Economic Coordination Committee (JKSECC) today said 90 percent tourist bookings for Kashmir valley have been cancelled.
JKSECC is an amalgam of various trade, industrial, travel, tour, tourism, horticulture, educational, contractors, pharmaceutical, houseboat, bakers, transport and other civil society formations.
According to a statsment, JKSECC held a meeting here today in which it was revealed that 90 percent tourust bookings for Valley have been cancelled.
"The meeting was held in the backdrop of large scale tourist cancellations, frequent closure of the highway and harassment of Kashmiri traders across outside states all of which have badly impacted various industrial and service sector activities in the valley," the statement said.
It added that the representatives of prominent tour and travel associations informed the meeting that almost 90 percent cancellations have taken place. The tourists who had booked their packages to the valley for next three months have cancelled their visit. "They revealed that the major tour operators in various states, besides the prominent anti Kashmir politicians, have launched a rigorous negative campaign advising tourists to visit destinations other than those in the valley," the statement said.
It added that" the representatives of major hotel and houseboat associations confirmed in the meeting that more than 90 percent room bookings in valley hotels and houseboats till May 2019 had been cancelled and 10 percent is in pipeline."
The statement said the meeting expressed serious concern on the undeclared economic war against Kashmiris as a result of which economic activities in the valley have come to a standstill.
The members of JKSECC observed that cancellation of tourist travel as also the harassment of traders outside Kashmir 8was part of the large scale campaign against Kashmiris.