Amritsar hotel industry faces setbacks amid threat emails, security concerns

Time of India

5 days ago

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Amritsar: The hotel and tourism industry in Amritsar, already struggling to recover from the Pahalgam terror attack, suffered another setback as reports of threat emails sent to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), which manages the Golden Temple, spread globally.
This triggered a surge in security-related inquiries and a wave of booking cancellations.
AP Singh Chatha, president of the Amritsar Hotel and Restaurant Association (Civil Lines), said that hotel bookings dropped by nearly 50% following the news of threat emails sent to the Golden Temple management. "Many devotees who regularly visit the Golden Temple during Sangrand to offer prayers either cancelled or postponed their plans," he said.
Chatha explained that bookings already fell to 30% due to Operation Sindoor and have now plunged further to just 15%. He added that tensions with Pakistan severely impacted Amritsar's tourism industry, and uncertainty around the conclusion of Operation Sindoor further damaged traveller confidence. "Before the hospitality sector could recover, the threat emails to the Golden Temple management only worsened tourist sentiment," he said.
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Chatha also claimed that one of the hotels in Amritsar received an extortion call in recent days, about which they informed the police.
However, Harpreet Singh Chadha, director of HK Clarks, stated that the hotel industry has not experienced any impact following the threat emails received by the SGPC. He explained that the rapid circulation of information through social media, including the content of the emails, helped people quickly recognise them as hoaxes, minimising panic and preventing cancellations.
Another director at a star category hotel in Amritsar, who didn't wish to give his name, said that they have been inundated with inquiries from around the world regarding the situation in Amritsar following threat emails received by the Golden Temple management. "Although we haven't had any cancellations specifically due to this incident, the sheer volume of concern from our clients is alarming. We fear potential cancellations or postponements of bookings, similar to what occurred during Operation Sindoor," he said, adding that while the current situation remains under control, the hospitality sector is on alert and closely monitoring developments to manage guest concerns and ensure safety.
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