The unexpected catastrophic faced by Leh and Ladakh region on August 6, 2010, due to the cloudburst and incessant rains which has claimed more than 160 lives, as well as infrastructural damage, has shaken the tourism industry of the country. In an initiative to support the region’s tourism industry, private stakeholders and various Indian travel trade associations have pledged their support to revive tourism in the region. Due to the incident, travel and tour operators are facing enormous cancellations from clients. Moreover, some countries have already issued travel advisories to their citizens to avoid travelling to Leh and Ladakh.
Ladakh’s local economy, which is hugely dependent on a short tourism season, i.e., from June to mid-September, has borne the full brunt of the calamity. While rescue and rehabilitation operations by para-military forces and non-governmental agencies are still on, questions are being raised on the long-term impact of this natural calamity on the overall image of the destination and its future tourism prospects. |