Amid political and local backlash over the timing of the trip to the IFTM Top Resa tourism fair in Paris, scheduled for September 23–25, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and his advisor Nasir Aslam Wani are likely to cancel their visit, government sources said.
The decision to travel abroad faced strong criticism as a major national highway was closed due to heavy rain and landslides. This left hundreds of trucks carrying apples stranded in Kashmir, causing losses estimated at ₹700 crore for fruit growers.
Opposition leaders, including People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti, accused the government of “criminal negligence” and of “orchestrating the collapse of Kashmir’s apple economy.” They questioned the administration’s focus on international promotion while a local economic crisis was unfolding.
The backlash came at a time when J&K’s tourism sector was already struggling, particularly after a terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22, 2025, which killed several tourists.
Advisor Nasir Aslam Wani acknowledged the criticism and confirmed that he and the Chief Minister would not attend the fair. Instead, they would remain in J&K to focus on local issues.
A delegation of officers was sent to Paris to represent the Union Territory and promote its tourism potential to a global audience.
Alongside the cancellation, the government announced steps to address the fruit crisis. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha flagged off a direct train service to transport apples to Delhi, aiming to reduce transit time and support the agricultural economy.
The International French Travel Market is an annual event in Paris that brings together travel industry professionals from more than 100 countries.
Before the cancellation, Abdullah had planned to meet tour operators and investors to highlight J&K’s natural beauty, heritage, and sustainable tourism initiatives. The event was seen as a key opportunity to revive foreign tourist arrivals.
The incident followed other tourism promotion campaigns led by Abdullah, including delegations to West Bengal and Gujarat to woo domestic tourists.
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