1. What sparked controversy at Gulmarg on the 5th of March, 2025?

Gulmarg, 5 March: A fashion show was held in the snow-clad town in Indian-administered Kashmir which sparked a major controversy, raising questions on Creativity becoming a tool of Cultural Invasion. The show, organised by the well-known fashion brand Shivan & Narresh, was held on Friday (5th of March) at a ski resort in Gulmarg that displayed their skiwear collection. But it soon sparked outrage among locals, politicians and religious leaders in Muslim-majority Kashmir after the fashion publisher Elle India posted videos on social media showing models wearing underwear or bikinis, and, an after-party where people were seen drinking alcohol outdoors. Kashmiris took offence with the show being held in the holy month of Ramadan (let alone on an auspicious Friday) - a time of fasting and prayer for Muslims. The designers were accused of mocking and disrespecting the faith, culture and sentiments of the people. Some clerics called the show "obscene soft porn". Elle India and Lifestyle Asia deleted their videos in response to the reaction. Shivan Bhatiya and Narresh Kukreja, the designers, also apologised, clarifying that their intention was only to celebrate creativity and not to hurt any sentiments.

In 2013 also, massive protests erupted against a show by renowned conductor Zubin Mehta which, as people comprehended, was an attempt by the government to showcase normalcy to the world while people were suffering and dying.

2. Why is an apology not enough?

Each part of the world is characterised by its unique people, their lifestyle, societal system, ethics, and, beliefs. All of these can be grouped under the umbrella term of “Culture”. This variety in cultures is what defines mankind. Sadly enough, we have come so far in our condescending ideology that we created classes among these various cultures. It was us who categorized certain classes as superior and, very naturally, others came to be looked down upon. This is what defines Cultural Invasion. It means one culture influencing or dominating another, often through the spread of ideas, values, and practices, mostly as a forceful or negative imposition rather than a natural exchange. This ‘forceful and negative’ aspect is what differentiates Invasion from Exchange. What adds to this sad reality is that in the present chaotic world condition, Cultural Invasion has evolved as a form of soft militarisation. Considering the contemporary example of Palestine, for instance, we can easily comprehend the deliberate erosion and suppression of Palestinian Cultural heritage and identity through policies, actions, and, narratives that promote a different cultural perspective. The invasion can manifest in various forms, like destruction or dilapidation of cultural sites, suppression of art and literature, or the promotion of a dominant narrative that downplays the real history of a region. This disempowerment and marginalisation is what we Kashmiris are afraid of.

We have had a history of a rich cultural and ethnic identity- characterized by a distinct language, literature, cuisine, arts, traditions, all of it being deeply intertwined with religious values, particularly Islam, thereby preaching modesty in every possible sense let alone clothing; that was attacked several times with the result that we now exist only as a remindful Union Territory. The fear and insecurity among us only furthered since 2019 when our region was unlawfully stripped of its special status- the last bit of assurance! It won’t be an exaggeration to say that with a multitude of reasons living inside of us, the outrage arose from the fear of cultural imposition.

So, a mere apology for such an objectionable event (as we define it!), is surely not enough. Other than social media posts and solidarities and fake probes, we want this incident to become a lesson for the entire world. A lesson that teaches our authorities, and of course each one of us, to be strictly mindful of a places’ political and cultural sensitivities.

3. Drug and Alcohol Abuse in the Valley - Government’s negligence or an intention to weaken the community?

It is well known now that Drug abuse in Kashmir is rampant. Kashmir Valley is slowly becoming a drug hub in Northern India, having more than 67,000 drug abusers, of which 90% are heroin addicts using more than 33,000 syringes daily. With 2.5 percent of the population using drugs, Kashmir has emerged as the country’s top drug-affected region, ahead of Punjab, where 1.2 % of the population is reportedly addicted to drug abuse. The number of people who require help is twice the national average. Addicts are men and women, rich and poor, employed and unemployed and overwhelmingly young. This rising pattern of drug and alcohol abuse is largely apparent as J&K suffers from one of India’s highest unemployment rates in addition to the socio-political disturbance, conflict and violence. Additionally, with arms and terror infiltration becoming difficult, Pakistan has now resorted to peddling drugs to degenerate the youth of Jammu and Kashmir. Narcotics has emerged as the biggest challenge confronting Jammu and Kashmir.

Talking about alcohol, I begin with a simple question. We all know that in India, the states of Bihar, Gujarat, Mizoram, and Nagaland, along with the union territory of Lakshadweep, are considered "dry states" where the sale and consumption of alcohol are prohibited. Why can’t Kashmir be declared one, if we, the people of Kashmir are repeatedly asking for it? Growing calls for a blanket ban on the sale and consumption of liquor in the Union Territory (UT) have been persistently advocated by political parties and civil society groups. But, the government as always is asleep at the wheel!

Amidst the daily headlines confirming government action to control the menace, the majority here believes that the government is negligent, allowing drugs to weaken Kashmiris. The biggest fact fuelling the theory is that even when the region is highly policed for political reasons with power solely vested in the hands of the central government, how do drug cartels continue to operate with impunity?!

4. Does Tourism in Kashmir come at the cost of Kashmiris?

The World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) defines over tourism as "the impact of tourism on a destination, or parts thereof that excessively influences perceived quality of life of citizens and/or quality of visitor experiences in a negative way". This definition shows how over tourism can be observed both among locals, who view tourism as a disruptive factor that increasingly burdens daily life, as well as visitors, who may regard high numbers of tourists as a disruption. Over tourism has developed into a widespread phenomenon. More importantly, it not only barges the ecosystems, but also degrades cultures impairing the living quality of the inhabitants. In 2023, official statistics indicate that Gulmarg welcomed an incredible 1.65 million tourists, but with no snowfall. Replying to a question in Parliament, Nityanand Rai, MoS for Home, said that tourism sector in the UT has witnessed unprecedented growth post abrogation of Article 370. According to reports, since 2020 there has been a consistent rise in numbers.

• 2020- 3470834,
• 2021- 11314884,
• 2022- 18864332,
• 2023- 21124874,
• June 2024- 10841009.

The numbers are boasted wherever and whenever possible. But least attention is given to the ill effects of the unprecedented increase in numbers. It is common sense to understand that these trends hamper the ecological balance. Certain impacts have been listed as follows-

The pristine natural areas, cultural and pilgrimage spots, which remain Kashmir’s main tourist centres face serious environmental issues and concerns. The hotels and restaurants flush untreated sewage thereby end up polluting various lakes, rivers, groundwater, and other water resources. The Dal Lake is choking due to the lack of sewage treatment and improper waste management, main source of pollution being the mismanaged flow of sewage which is directly linked with an increase in hutments and resorts in the lake vicinity. The untreated and excessive sewage causes serious threats to the lake ecosystem and has retarded its well-known sheen and attraction. It is also polluted with animal carcasses, weeds, leftover food, and polythene. The traditional Floating vegetable gardens, a fascinating focal point for sightseers, are significant polluters as well.

• Encroachment and demand for more hospitality centres has resulted in massive deforestation. Deforestation furthers the issues of surface run off, soil disintegration, loss of biodiversity, environmental change, and furthermore adversely affects the watershed.
• The transportation system has become the major source of air pollution in Kashmir. With rapid increase in demand, travel to Kashmir has increased manifolds via air, train, as well as road in recent years. The rise in traffic has accentuated the emission of carbon dioxide (CO2), sulphur dioxide (SO2), and greenhouse gases. As a consequence, the region witnesses acid rains very frequently, directly affecting the landscape, natural vegetation, and agro-based industries. The recently installed Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS) in Srinagar city by the State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) have only confirmed the alarmingly high pollution in the city.
• With uncontrolled tourist growth, there also arises a need for land clearance for new constructions, putting pressure on already affected forest land. According to the Forest Policy of India, around 33% and 60% of the aggregate region of plain and Himalayan areas, respectively, should be under forest cover. However, there is just around 25% of forest cover at the national level and a mere 20% in J&K.
• Tourism, being a climate-responsive sector, is directly affected by any unpleasant changes in the weather of a region, like climate-change inflicted storms, floods, less or no snowfall, excessive rains, etc. As reported by IMD (Indian Meteorological Department), in the last twenty years, the rise in average temperature in Kashmir valley was 1.45℃ as compared to 2.32℃ in the Jammu region.
• Unchecked tourism was a critical factor in the catastrophic floods of 2014, which affected around 5 million people and caused economic losses of ₹5,400-5,700 crores. In 2022, flash floods near Amarnath cave killed 16 people and left 40 missing. Similar extreme and erratic weather patterns are becoming a routine in the region.
• A 2015 study found that Pahalgam’s tourist flow in July was almost four times the area’s “tourism carrying capacity.” Major resorts struggle to accommodate the influx of visitors, leading to overcrowding and strain on local resources.
• According to a research conducted by the National Institute of Hydrology, Roorkee, regions such as Ladakh, Zanskar, and the Greater Himalayan ranges of J&K have witnessed a decrease in the glacier volume, with most glaciers degrading by 17% – 25%. Kashmir’s largest glacier, the Kolahoi, has lost 23% of its area since 1962 and fragmented into smaller parts. This rapid melting threatens water security, as glaciers are critical sources for rivers like the Jhelum, which support agriculture and provide drinking water.
• Agricultural activities are severely hampered leading to people giving up farming which furthers the threat to food security of people. Saffron acreage in Kashmir has decreased from 5,707 hectares in 1996 to around 3,500 hectares in 2017, primarily due to climate change and pollution, and, saffron production has dropped from 15.85 million tonnes in 1997 to 9.6 million tonnes in 2017.

5. Over Tourism- the upcoming global challenge

By now, we know that over-tourism results from the tourist demand exceeding the carrying capacity of the host destination causing ripple effects on the well-being of the host communities. This is well supported by figures. According to UNWTO there were 25 million international arrivals in 1950, which increased to 1.3 billion by 2017. The international tourism sector is expected to grow 3.3% annually until 2030, a year at which point an expected 1.8 billion tourists will cross borders. Therefore, Over Tourism is a real thing and if not handled now, will pose serious threats to mankind.

We also understood, in the context of Kashmir, the environmental impacts of excessive tourism visiting a particular place. Quite arguably, over-tourism is a social phenomenon too. It has become a common scenario to see renters being evicted by landlords in favour of turning properties into holiday lets, and house prices escalating as a result. As visitors outnumber local residents, communities are being lost. Skyrocketing prices, long queues, crowded beaches, exorbitant noise levels, vandalized historical sites and the ramifications to nature as people overwhelm or stray from official paths are also reasons why the positives of tourism can turn negative. Overcrowding is an issue for tourists as well. It can ruin the experience of sightseeing for those trapped in long queues, unable to visit their destinations, incurring escalating costs on basics like food, drink and hotels, and faced with the inability to experience the wonder of a place in relative solitude. What adds to the complexity of the issue is that social media has exacerbated the problem by concentrating tourists in a few hotspots. Tourist numbers globally are increasing while destinations have the same finite capacity. While a few places swell with crowds, many remain deserted as they are not known to the masses.

6. Should the Tourism sector be banished altogether?

Tourism Industry is the most vibrant tertiary activity and a multibillion-dollar industry in India and has become India’s major source for generating wealth and employment, opening the minds of both visitors and the visited to different ways of life. India has strong signs of becoming one of the emerging giants in world tourism. Tourism in India is growing continuously and generating employment and earning large amount of foreign exchange in order to stabilise the country’s economic and social development. It also influential in preserving and sustaining the diversity of the India's natural and cultural environments.

Venkatesh et al (2016) categorise the many positive economic impacts of tourism as follows:

• Generating Income and Employment: Tourism in India has emerged as an instrument of income and employment generation, poverty alleviation and sustainable human development. It contributes around 6% to the national GDP and 8.78% of the total employment in India. Almost 20 million people are now working in the India’s tourism industry.
• Source of Foreign Exchange Earnings: Tourism is an important source of foreign exchange earnings in India. This has favourable impact on the balance of payment of the country. The tourism industry in India generated about US$100 billion in 2008 and that is expected to increase to US$275.5 billion by 2018 at a 9.4% annual growth rate.
• Preservation of National Heritage and Environment: Tourism helps preserve several places which are of historical importance by declaring them as heritage sites.
• Developing Infrastructure: Tourism tends to encourage the development of multiple-use of infrastructure that benefits the host community, including various means of transports, health care facilities, and sports centres.
• Promoting Peace and Stability: Tourism industry can also help promote peace and stability in developing country like India by providing jobs, generating income & diversifying the economy.
• Regional Development: The underdeveloped regions of the country can greatly benefit from tourism development. Many of the economically backward regions contain areas of high scenic beauty and cultural attractions.
• Economic Value of Cultural Resources: Tourism provides monetary incentives for the development of many local crafts and culture, thus it has an effect on the income of the local artisans and artists.
• Promotion of International Understanding: Tourism can also become an effective tool to develop a better understanding and interaction amongst people of different countries.
• The Multiplier Effect: The flow of money generated by tourist spending multiplies as it passes through various sections of the economy.

Therefore, considering the vitality of the Tourism sector In the Indian economy in particular and the world economy in general, it is practically out of bounds to limit the sector. On one hand, we can’t afford to give up the benefits that the sector provides to nations, and on the other hand, we have to do something about the excessive pressure generated on already limited resources due to the shift towards over-tourism!

7. The concept of Responsible Tourism- integrating Awareness, Agenda, and Action

Responsible Tourism has generated a research debate on the tourism–environment relationship. The debate gained momentum in the late 1970s with Swiss ecologist Jost Krippendorf (1984) challenging the sense of mass tourism in his book entitled “Vacation People”. Soon, the search for alternatives began. Researchers in the 1980s began calling for more responsibility in travel and behaviour on host environments, both physical and human. This interest in “more responsibility” led to alternative tourism forms and concepts which have been given many names, such as- alternative, soft, quality, eco, responsible, minimum impact tourism, green and ethical tourism, with all of them providing an option to the mainstream mass tourism that has been long developing as environmentally, socially, ethically and politically intolerable (Mihalic, 2006, Swarbrooke, 1999).

Today, Responsible tourism has become an established area of tourism research and practice. Although it shares much in common with ‘sustainable tourism’, ‘eco-tourism’, ‘ethical tourism’, Responsible Tourism focusses more on the immediate actions individuals and businesses can take to reduce all the aforementioned negative impacts, and promote positive contributions to conservation. Simply put, Responsible Tourism is about using tourism to make better places for people to live in and better places for people to visit!

The Cape Town Declaration enlists the various forms that Responsible Tourism takes as follows:

• Minimises negative economic, environmental and social impacts;
• generates greater economic benefits for local people and enhances the well-being of host communities, improves working conditions and access to the industry;
• involves local people in decisions that affect their lives and life changes;
• makes positive contributions to the conservation of natural and cultural heritage, to the maintenance of the world’s diversity;
• provides more enjoyable experiences for tourists through more meaningful connections with local people, and a greater understanding of local cultural, social and environmental issues;
• provide access for people with disabilities and the disadvantaged;
• is culturally sensitive, engenders respect between tourists and hosts, and builds local pride and confidence.

8. Responsibilities of various stakeholders

• Government: The government has a crucial responsibility in promoting responsible tourism encompassing environmental protection, community empowerment, and economic sustainability. This involves developing policies and regulations that guide tourism development, investing in infrastructure, and fostering collaborations with various stakeholders. Promoting responsible tourism as an attractive and viable option for tourists is crucial to encourage sustainable practices and should be the foremost priority of the state.
• Host Communities: Host communities have a vital role in ensuring tourism is responsible and sustainable. This includes actively participating in tourism planning, management, and decision-making processes, as well as benefiting from the industry through stable employment and income opportunities. Respecting cultural heritage, protecting the environment, and fostering intercultural understanding are also key responsibilities. Host communities should strive to create a welcoming environment for tourists and foster positive interactions. They should also be knowledgeable about the lifestyles, tastes, and expectations of tourists.
• Tourists: Responsible tourists contribute to sustainable and positive tourism by respecting the environment, supporting local communities, and engaging in ethical travel practices. This includes minimizing environmental impact through responsible waste disposal and resource use, respecting local cultures and traditions, and choosing to support businesses that prioritize community well-being. Learning about the local culture and customs, dressing respectfully, especially when visiting religious sites or traditional areas, being mindful of local sensitivities and avoiding behaviours that could be offensive, will not only help tourists in engaging and connecting with the local communities, but also establish a sense of security and respect, both ways.

9. Learning from our mistakes - Conclusion and Way Forward

Using an analogy from this recent controversy that sparked in Kashmir, I tried to deliberate the impending threats of Over Tourism which pose a challenge to our global aim of sustainability. In my opinion, Over Tourism is another name of environmental degradation, infrastructural strain, and, destruction of local communities and economies. While we aim to transform our world through the implementation of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, we can’t continue to do irreversible harm under the banner of recreation and relaxation in the name of unmanaged and excessive tourism. We ought to give up such malpractices. Then only will we be able to harvest the benefits of policies and agendas, which otherwise won’t do any good to mankind!

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Bibliography:

• Creativity or cultural invasion? A fashion show sparks a row in Kashmir- by Cherylann Mollan; BBC News, Mumbai
• How India’s Drug Flux is destroying Kashmir’s Youth- by Sahil Sajad
• Impact of Tourism in India, IJSEAS, 2016
• Tourists’ Accounts of Responsible Tourism- by Caruana et al, 2014
• Taking Responsibility for Tourism- by Harold Goodwin
• Understanding and Managing Urban Tourism growth beyond perceptions- by UNWTO.