Jammu:
With just days left for the Amarnath Yatra to begin, Jammu hotels are offering a 30 per cent discount on advance bookings, while taxi unions have launched budget-friendly tour packages.
The move is aimed at wooing pilgrims to stop at Jammu for one night rather than heading straight to Kashmir
Jammu’s hotel association has announced up to 30 per cent off on advance bookings to boost pilgrim stays in Jammu ahead of the annual Amarnath Yatra, which starts July 3.
Hoteliers say if the move clicks, the same discount will be extended to on-the-spot bookings.
The Railway Taxi Union has also announced special discounted tour packages by road to Pahalgam and Baltal to give pilgrims riding the Vande Bharat to Srinagar a compelling reason to halt for a night in Jammu.
Why Discounts Were Essential
The occupancy numbers in Jammu hotels are grim. Two years ago, 39 per cent Amarnath pilgrims halted in Jammu. Last year, that figure dropped to just 31 per cent. That means nearly 7 out of every 10 yatris now bypass Jammu and head straight to Kashmir.
With the Srinagar-Jammu Vande Bharat service now operational, the trend is expected to worsen. “Today, 90 per cent of our hotel rooms are empty. The Amarnath Yatra is our last hope,” said Pawan Gupta, president of the All Jammu Hotel and Lodge Association.
The hotel association’s effort is to ensure yatris stay in Jammu for at least a day or two.
“We hope this move works. The situation in Jammu today is worse than even Pathankot,” said another hotelier in the city.
For them, the Amarnath pilgr. “If this continues, even our survival will be difficult,” another hotelier added.
