Exclusive: At least 400 Amdavadis cancel trips to J&K after Pahalgam terror attack

Fear has gripped Amdavadis following the gruesome terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, where at least 26 people, including three Gujaratis, lost their lives.

Amid the ongoing summer vacations in Gujarat, many Amdavadis had chosen Jammu and Kashmir as their preferred holiday destination. However, a wave of booking cancellations has swept across the city in the aftermath of Tuesday's terror attack.

“Gujaratis had selected Jammu and Kashmir as their prime vacation spot, with tours from Ahmedabad booked in advance until June,” said a prominent city-based travel agency.

Ajay Modi Travels, another travel agency in Ahmedabad, reported, “Around 300 people have cancelled their trips to J&K as of Wednesday, and the numbers are still increasing. A group of 50 people has already diverted their tour to another state following the Pahalgam attack.”

Suhag from Akshar Travels Pvt Ltd added, “About 30 people have contacted us to cancel their Kashmir bookings.” He also noted that the agency is offering no-charge cancellations for bookings made through April 30.

Travel agencies also mentioned that many tourists are opting to alter their itineraries, either rescheduling or excluding Pahalgam from their trips.

A family of four from Ahmedabad typically spends around ₹80,000 on a tour to Jammu and Kashmir. Travel agencies estimate that approximately 15–20% of Amdavadis have already cancelled their trips to the region.

A scheduled trip to Srinagar by Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation officials, including Mayor Pratibha Jain, was also cancelled today, according to sources.

Gujarat’s Travel Agents Association holds meeting

The Tour Operators and Travel Agents Association of Gujarat (TAG) convened a meeting on Wednesday with local tour operators to discuss the future of planned trips to Jammu and Kashmir.

“Due to these sudden and unfortunate circumstances, tourists are requesting airlines to provide refunds for tickets booked up to April 30, 2025, and to allow bookings to be extended up to June 30, 2025,” said TAG President Munjal Fitter.

He added, “The association has also requested tour operators to assist travellers in obtaining credit notes for advance payments made for hotel and vehicle bookings, to ensure tourists don’t suffer financial losses.”