According to senior officials of the tourism department and travel agents here, many tourists from the Maharashtra-Gujarat belt have dropped out following the deadly earthquake. The earthquake is believed to have killed over 25,000, and shattered the lives of people across several cities in Gujarat. Gujarat and Maharashtra together contribute almost 40 per cent of domestic tourists who visit the Valley every year, say state tourism department officials.
Domestic tourists are in a brutal majority among tourists who come to the Valley despite militancy.
He admits that there has been a drastic fall in tourists from western India due to the earthquake. Tourists from the western region of India usually come to Kashmir in March and April. He said, the tension due to increased suicidal attacks has also contributed to a drop in number of tourists. The tour operator points out that the earthquake shattered the lives of lakhs of people from Ahmedabad and Kutch, from where most tourists came. Several advance bookings for hotels and tour buses have been cancelled, he said.