Places like Dal Lake, tulip garden and Mughal gardens in Srinagar, resorts of Gulmarg in north Kashmir and picturesque Pahalgam in south Kashmir as well as offbeat destinations are drawing tourists
Kashmir recorded a tourist footfall of 15.65 lakh in the first half of 2024, registering an increase of 20% over last year’s 13 lakh in the same period.
Officials said the Himalayan valley is drawing an increasing number of visitors from different states of the country and also from other countries visiting places like Dal Lake, tulip garden and Mughal gardens in Srinagar, resorts of Gulmarg in north Kashmir and picturesque Pahalgam in south Kashmir as well as offbeat destinations.
“We have roughly received 16 lakh tourists this year till June 30 as against 13 lakh in the same period last year,” Kashmir tourism director Raja Yaqoob Farooq said, adding that the number of foreign tourists has also gone up to around 26,000 from 14,000 last year.
The figures have come as a welcome news for stakeholders, who are having a fabulous year so far.
Sajad Ahmad, 40, who started a tour and travel agency after losing his job post-Covid, said that this year was the best for him. “I had an increase of 100% in bookings and our business is growing,” he said.
Ahmad, who believes Covid-19 was a blessing in disguise for him, said there has been an unprecedented rush of people from across the country to the valley.
“They have no option of witnessing pristine natural beauty other than Kashmir which otherwise they can find only in Europe. Kashmir is comparable to European resorts in beauty and is much cheaper,” he said.
The tourism boom in Kashmir, besides the improved security scenario, is also owing to the organising of international meets like G20 in the valley.
Lieutenant-governor (L-G) Manoj Sinha, while addressing a two-day tourism development conclave in Srinagar last week, said last year’s successful G-20 working Group meeting in Srinagar was a turning point in the sector.
“The turning point to give Jammu and Kashmir’s once ailing tourism sector a real boost was the successful and peaceful G20 Tourism working group meeting in Srinagar last year. Those who participated in the meeting became the brand ambassadors of the UT’s tourism,” he said. “The participants talked highly of Kashmir’s hospitality and beauty.”
Last two years, the Himalayan valley has welcomed tourists in record numbers. Overall the two years have witnessed tourist arrivals of 53.8 lakhs – 27.1 lakh in 2023 (including 4.5 lakh Amarnath pilgrims) and 26.7 lakh in 2022. Such numbers have not been recorded in the Valley since the start of militancy in the early 1990s. Other than 2022 and 2023, a substantial number of 12.67 lakh visitors poured in 2016.
Hotelier and Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry secretary general Faiz Bakshi said March, April, May and June were bumper tourism months, adding that with the arrival of Amarnath yatris, the footfall of regular tourists has come down.
“We have asked the government to allow the Amaranth Yatris to visit various tourist places in the valley after performing the yatra and not restrict them to the security convoys. We have decided to offer heavy discounts to yatris during the yatra period,” he said.
Since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, the authorities in Jammu and Kashmir, besides working on improving the security environment, have given a major thrust on Kashmir tourism.
Director Raja Yaqoob Farooq said the improvement in law and order situation was the major factor in drawing a large number of tourists again to the valley.
“As the situation improved, the government also opened newer tourist destinations while there is also improvement in infrastructure development,” he said.
The J&K has selected 75 offbeat tourist destinations including Bungus, Keran, Tangdhar, Gurez, Dawar along the Line of Control in North Kashmir.
“Around 10 destinations have been opened. We are working on Daksun Sinthan. Gurez got the best offbeat tourist destination award from the tourism ministry. Lolab received an Outlook award. We are diversifying tourism by opening border tourism sites,” he said, adding that there is a wave of tourism footfall into the valley. “Kashmir is becoming a new attractive destination for visitors.”
