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Kashmir’s tourism industry shows resilience; Visitor numbers projected to be..
Kashmir’s tourism industry demonstrates resilience; 2026 visitor numbers projected to surpass previous records
Security has been significantly strengthened across all major tourist resorts in the Kashmir Valley to ensure that visitors feel safe and comfortable during their stay. The tourism industry of the Kashmir region is hopeful that the upcoming spring season will bring a major surge in visitors, potentially breaking all previous tourist footfall records set in past years.
Despite the 2025 terror attack on tourists killing 25 of them, which was an effort of Pakistan and terror handlers to make divide between tourists and local Kashmiris, but they failed as over 1.62 crore (16.2 million) tourists visited Jammu and Kashmir in 2025, according to official government reports.
While the 2024 season was indeed record-breaking, the industry faced a severe downturn following the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam terror attack.
But now, as of February 2026, the government has reopened 14 major tourist spots that were previously closed for security reviews. Kashmir’s tourism industry has once again demonstrated remarkable resilience, with visitor numbers in 2026 projected to surpass all previous records. This strong recovery follows a challenging period in 2025, marked by security concerns, including the April 2025 terror attack in Pahalgam.
Iconic destinations such as Gulmarg and Pahalgam have reported near-full hotel occupancy, fueled by a strong surge in domestic tourism and reinforced security measures that have helped sustain traveler confidence.
Syed Qamar Sajad, Director Tourism, said, “Last time in May, we had just 100 people for the Gandola ride, and now there is a huge rush. We have very good numbers of tourists and the data we see daily gives feel that we will cross last year.”
Meanwhile, authorities have implemented a multi-tier security cover at reopened sites, including increased patrols, surveillance, and the Union Ministers have framed the return of tourists as a victory over nefarious intentions meant to "stifle growth" and "incite separatism.”
Kashmir recorded a historic high of approximately 98.1 lakh (9.81 million)tourists in 2024, a significant jump from previous years. But Footfall in the Kashmir division plummeted in 2025 due to the Pahalgam attack. But it couldn’t break the bond between Kashmir and its tourist guests.
Present occupancy in Kashmir is as it was in March 2025. Gulmarg, Pahalgam, and Sonamarg reported 100 per cent hotel occupancy in the last three months, mostly when the New Year started, and when snow blessed Kashmir. the heavy snowfall made successful winter festivals in Kashmir, which remained the main attraction for tourists across the globe.
Tourists have expressed their admiration for the region, saying there is no place in the world quite like Kashmir.
A couple, Satya and Venkatesh, said, “It’s very cold, but we enjoy it, it’s our anniversary, we had come specially here, we had five days tour, today is our 4th day, tomorrow we will go to Pahalgam, it’s all beautiful.”
Another tourist, Nidhi, said, “It’s very beautiful. First, we were scared; everyone was saying, 'don’t go,' but we had to see snowfall. It’s cold, but we are enjoying it. We will advise people to go to Kashmir, it’s very safe.”
Notably, the new train link connecting Srinagar to the rest of India via the Katra-Srinagar route has become a major facilitator for the tourism boom. Tourism, which contributes nearly 7 per cent to the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) of Jammu and Kashmir, supports thousands of families in the hospitality, transport, and handicraft sectors.
To restore confidence, the locals, along with authorities, took several initiatives and implemented several measures that increased the footfall of tourists. There is a clear revival in tourism across the Kashmir Valley. Visitor numbers are now almost at par with what we recorded last winter, which shows that the sector is firmly back on track.
Security has been significantly strengthened across all major tourist resorts in the Kashmir Valley to ensure that visitors feel safe and comfortable during their stay.
The tourism industry of the Kashmir region is hopeful that the upcoming spring season will bring a major surge in visitors, potentially breaking all previous tourist footfall records set in past years.
Source: ZeeNews
Related Posts: Jammu and Kashmir news, J&K news, Jammu and Kashmir tourism, Kashmir tourism 2026, Kashmir tourism recovery, Kashmir visitor numbers 2026, Jammu and Kashmir tourism
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