Srinagar, August 8: Around 35 cloudbursts have been recorded in Kashmir this year, according to official figures, with flash floods, landslides and damage to roads, bridges and other infrastructure beginning to take a toll on tourism, particularly at offbeat destinations.
Hoteliers, residents and tourism stakeholders in areas including Gurez, Keran, Sonamarg, Doodhpathri and Bangus Valley said tourist arrivals have declined sharply in recent weeks as frequent rainfall and weather-related incidents raise concerns over road connectivity and travel safety.
The disruption comes during the peak summer tourism period, when several remote destinations had been expecting strong visitor numbers.
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In Gurez Valley, located near the Line of Control (LoC), hoteliers and residents said the fall in tourist arrivals has been particularly noticeable.
“We had expected this season to be one of the best after the steady increase in tourist arrivals over the last few years. However, the continuous rains and reports of cloudbursts have discouraged visitors. Hotels that were nearly full are now witnessing low occupancy,” said Mushtaq Ahmad, a hotel owner in Gurez.
He said a number of tourists cancelled their bookings after reports of weather-related incidents emerged from different parts of Kashmir.
The situation has also affected Keran in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, where a large section of the local economy depends on the summer tourism season.
“Most families here earn during the summer season through homestays, transport services and small eateries. The bad weather has reduced tourist footfall significantly, affecting our income,” said Shabir Ahmad, a resident of Keran.
Tour operators in Srinagar said the slowdown is more pronounced for destinations that involve long road journeys and depend heavily on uninterrupted connectivity.
“The concern is not just rainfall but uncertainty over road conditions. Tourists do not want to risk getting stranded because of landslides or road closures. Many are choosing to stay in Srinagar or Gulmarg instead of travelling to remote destinations,” said Fayaz Ahmad, a local tour operator.
Sonamarg has also reported weaker-than-expected business, with hoteliers and pony operators saying repeated weather advisories and intermittent road disruptions have affected visitor movement.
“We were hoping for a busy August, but repeated weather advisories and intermittent road disruptions have affected business. Most tourists are making only day visits instead of staying overnight,” said Ghulam Nabi, a hotelier in Sonamarg.
Tourism stakeholders said the impact extends beyond hotels, affecting homestays, transport operators, pony operators, eateries and other small businesses that rely on tourist spending during the summer months.
Authorities, meanwhile, are carrying out restoration and road-clearance work in affected areas, with repair operations being undertaken wherever weather conditions permit.
The Meteorological Department has forecast intermittent rainfall in the coming days and advised residents and tourists to exercise caution, particularly in areas vulnerable to landslides, flash floods and cloudbursts.
For Kashmir’s emerging offbeat destinations, tourism stakeholders said the immediate challenge is not only the loss of visitors but the uncertainty surrounding road access and weather conditions, which is prompting many travellers to postpone trips until conditions improve.
