Turbulence hits tourism to 'paradise', Afzal Guru's hanging gives militants opportunity to renew cycle of violence

SRINAGAR: As the year 2012 drew to a close, the feeling across Kashmir was one of hope. Another good year, at least from the point of view of businesses in the state, meant that they could look forward to an even better 2013.

Until February 9. That morning the central government hanged Mohammad Afzal Guru, the main accused in the 2001 Parliament attack case and a Kashmiri in Delhi's Tihar Jail, triggering political turmoil and a spiral of violence that culminated in Wednesday's Fidayeen attack.

The mood in the valley has changed from one of hope to anxiety, with the political and the security establishment on tenterhooks and the positive narrative about Kashmir at risk. The hospitality sector, the mainstay of the economy, is especially dreading the bad publicity.

"It was a sort of crisis when the pictures of the Fidayeen attack were beamed on the TV sets," says Azim Tuman, the public face of Srinagar's houseboat owners.

The tourism trade fears that that the adverse publicity can lead Western nations to revisit their advisories. Germany, Japan and the UK had eased travel advisories warning their nationals against traveling to Kashmir and the United States had indicated it will follow suit.

Even the routine business says they are losing around 100 crore a day every time there is a strike or a curfew. Unsurprisingly, the hospitality sector is anxious about what happens next.

"Hugely successful tourist years in 2011 and 2012 were a major change," admits Tuman. "We made money, raised loans and invested in repairing and recreating the infrastructure and now when the banks are seeking re-payments, we are waiting for the tourists who may not come in the given situation."

"I hope good sense prevails everybody and the situation does not go out of hand," Choudhary Imtiaz, who heads Kashmir Hotel and Restaurants Association. "March is gone, but we can still save the season from April as I believe this phase is temporary," he adds, blaming the Congress and the Centre for spoiling the picture.

Amid this bleak picture, some other data points suggest that not all is lost. Police say around 1000 tourists are reaching Srinagar daily. "Currently 18 flights land in Srinagar and they are flying with full capacity," M Shafi of the Airport Authority of India said. "The number of flights per day will go up to 36 from April 1 but it all depends on the situation."