Srinagar: As the nation readies to mark the seventh anniversary of abrogation of Article 370, the atmosphere may get clouded by political rhetoric and reverberations but one thing that has remained static over the past few years and has buoyed public sentiments locally is the rising number of tourist footfalls in the valley, year after year.
The number of tourists, visiting Jammu and Kashmir for its panoramic views and scenic beauty has seen consistent rise through the years and the one reason for this has been rapid and sustained expansion of tourism infrastructure.
According to official estimates, the number of tourist arrivals in the Union Territory (UT) were pegged at around 25.24 lakh in 2020, 1.13 crore in 2021, 1.85 crore in 2022, 2.07 crore in 2023, and a whopping 2.36 crore in 2024.
Year 2025 however turned out to be an exception, apparently because of ghastly terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, which resulted in killing of 26 tourists. Last year, the Valley received around 1.78 crore tourists.
The Valley is again witnessing a rebound in the tourism, with visitors affirming their faith in the administration and the local population.
Several tourists, speaking to IANS talked about improved infrastructure and the overall security situation, emphasising why they chose to visit the UT for second or third time.
A tourist said, “I have come to Kashmir for the third time. Compared to last time, the atmosphere is much more peaceful this time. Local people are fully cooperating with tourists, which has made the experience better than before.”
Another woman tourist said, “I have come from Baroda in Gujarat. This is my second time. I came here last time in 2022-23. The people here are showing us temples and other places. This time the experience has been very good. The security is very good.”
The growth in tourism has also led to a major boost in the UT’s infrastructure, including large scale investments in hotels, guest houses, homestays and transport services.
According to Lieutenant Governor’s office, around 5,000 new hotels and guest houses have been established over the past six years, while more than 20,000 tourist vehicles have been added to cater to the growing demand.
According to industry experts, the tourism in the Valley has rebounded this year and the rising footfalls show a renewed confidence among travellers and also their positive outlook for Kashmir’s tourism.
(IANS)
