Statement by Mr. Sunil Kumar, President, Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI)
The Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) expresses its deepest sorrow and strongest condemnation of the recent heinous attack on innocent tourists in Kashmir. This despicable act, targeting those who came in the spirit of discovery and peace, is an attack not only on the lives of individuals but on the very fabric of our nation’s hospitality and harmony.
We mourn the tragic loss of lives and extend our heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims. Our prayers are with those injured, and we hope for their swift and complete recovery.
Tourism has long been a symbol of unity, cultural exchange, and economic upliftment. An act of violence against tourists is a direct strike at the soul of this spirit and an attempt to instill fear and disrupt the positive narrative of Jammu & Kashmir. Such cowardly acts aim to derail the region’s tourism-driven resurgence, but we stand united in saying—we will not let terror define our future.
At TAAI, we reaffirm our solidarity with the people of Jammu & Kashmir. We have promoted this breathtaking destination for decades and will continue to do so with unwavering determination. We urge our members, industry partners, and the travelling public to continue supporting Kashmir’s tourism sector and its resilient community, whose livelihood depends greatly on this vital industry.
Statement by Rajiv Mehra, President, Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO)
Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), on behalf of the entire tourism industry, expresses its deep anguish and pain on selected targetting of tourist in Kashmir by a group of terrorists. It strongly condemns the cowardly terror attack which is clearly designed to deeply impact tourism in Kashmir and create an atmosphere of fear. While we extend our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families of those and pray for the speedy recovery for those who have been injured, we shall see the perpetrators don’t succeed in their nefarious design.
“Tourism has always been a bridge for peace, unity and cultural exchange. An attack on tourists is not just an attack on individuals – it is an attack on the spirit of hospitality and the image of our nation. Such acts are deplorable and must be condemned unequivocally by every citizen. IATO members have been promoting and selling Jammu & Kashmir Tourism Packages and will continue to do so and such terrorism activities can not affect our morality to support tourism industry of Jammu & Kashmir”.
Mr. Mehra further added that, “such drastic attacks on innocent tourists will have very negative impact on both domestic tourism to a very large extent and international tourism in Jammu & Kashmir, although international tourist arrivals are less due to advisories issued by various countries. This will adversely affect the livelihood of people in Jammu & Kashmir as people in the state depends on tourism activities, directly or indirectly. As of now it is too early to confirm cancellations. In short run there would be cancellations but with support of all the stake holders we are sure tourism would bounce back”.
The tourism Associations urges the government and security agencies to take strict and immediate action against those culprits and ensure enhanced protection for tourists across the region.
Statement by Himanshu Patil, President , OTOAI
The Outbound Tour Operators Association of India (OTOAI) strongly condemns the heinous terrorist attack on innocent tourists in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir.
This tragic incident, the first of its kind in many years targeting tourists in the region, is deeply disturbing and saddening. Tourism is a bridge that connects people, cultures, and communities, and any act of violence against travellers is an attack on peace and humanity itself.
Our heartfelt condolences go out to the victims and their families during this extremely difficult time. We stand in solidarity with the people of Jammu & Kashmir and urge the authorities to take swift action to ensure the safety of all travellers and restore confidence in the region as a peaceful destination.
OTOAI remains committed to promoting safe and responsible tourism and calls for unity and resilience in the face of such unfortunate events.
Statement by Ajay Prakash, President, Travel Agents Federation of India
TAFI strongly condemns the barbarous attack on innocent tourists in Kashmir. Mere words cannot express the horror of this dastardly deed and our prayers go out to the families of the victims. This heinous act cannot go unpunished and we stand firmly with our government to give a befitting reply to our enemies and the cowardly perpetrators.
The last few years have seen peace and prosperity return to Jammu & Kashmir, driven to a large extent by burgeoning tourism. This attack is a cowardly attempt to destabilise tourism and life in the region and it must not be allowed to succeed. TAFI members across the country vow to support the tourism industry in J&K. Office bearers of our J&K Chapter are available to assist any tourist who needs help
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