With only a few days left before the Amarnath Yatra begins, hoteliers in Jammu have played their biggest card to retain pilgrims. They are offering a flat 30% discount on bookings alongside pocket-friendly tour packages from taxi unions—all in an effort to prevent travelers from taking the Vande Bharat train and heading straight to Kashmir.

To encourage pilgrims to stay in Jammu during the annual Amarnath Yatra—which commences on July 3—the Hotel Association has announced discounts of up to 30% on bookings. Business owners state that if this strategy succeeds, the discount will also be extended to on-the-spot bookings. Meanwhile, the taxi union has also geared up for action. Special, discounted tour packages have been launched for travelers heading to Pahalgam and Baltal by road, giving pilgrims arriving in Srinagar via Vande Bharat a compelling reason to spend a night in Jammu.

Why the need for discounts?
While 39% of travelers stayed in Jammu two years ago, that figure dropped to just 31% last year; effectively, about seven out of every ten travelers bypassed Jammu and headed straight to Kashmir. There are concerns that this trend will accelerate further following the launch of the Srinagar-Jammu Vande Bharat service. The anxiety of Pawan Gupta, President of the All Jammu Hotel and Lodge Association, is evident: "Currently, 90% of the rooms in our hotels are vacant. Occupancy stands at a mere 10%. The Amarnath Yatra is now our last hope."

These packages have been announced specifically to attract pilgrims. The Hotel Association aims to persuade travelers to stay in Jammu for at least a day or two, hoping to once again see their hotels bustling with the activity of tourists.

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