Srinagar, Oct 16: Tourist arrivals in Kashmir have remained under pressure following the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam terror attack, with tourism stakeholders calling for renewed efforts to revive visitor confidence and reopen adventure destinations.
Official data shows that Kashmir received 2,710,497 tourists in 2023, including 2,672,819 domestic visitors and 37,678 foreigners. Arrivals rose to 2,986,780 in 2024, comprising 2,943,126 domestic tourists and 43,654 foreign visitors.
However, the figure fell sharply to 1,116,043 in 2025, with 1,093,050 domestic tourists and 22,993 foreigners visiting the Valley. The attack in Pahalgam on April 22, 2025, claimed the lives of 25 tourists and a local ponywala.
From January 1 to October 13 this year, Kashmir recorded 1,637,070 arrivals, including 1,620,420 domestic tourists and 16,650 foreigners.
A senior Tourism Department official attributed the decline to the attack, saying the government had launched publicity campaigns and organised tours across the country to restore confidence among potential visitors. Several tourist destinations were also closed as part of heightened security measures.
Efforts to revive tourism included a marathon last year featuring 1,500 runners from 27 states and 11 countries, including Ethiopia, Kenya, Japan, Sri Lanka, Germany, Denmark and the United States. Bollywood actor Suniel Shetty was its ambassador. Srinagar also hosted the international film festival Rang-e-Cinema at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre in September.
Another marathon is scheduled in Srinagar on October 25, with 65 participants from 12 countries registered so far, besides local and national runners.
Tourism stakeholders, however, say such events alone cannot restore visitor numbers.
Farooq Kuthoo, president of the Travel Agents Association of Kashmir (TAAK), said tourist arrivals had begun declining further after July, when security arrangements were tightened for the Amarnath Yatra. He added that the reopening of schools in other states also affects family travel.
Kuthoo expressed hope that arrivals would pick up from November with the onset of winter tourism, as snowfall, school holidays and vacations traditionally attract visitors to Kashmir.
Adventure tour operator Rouf Tramboo stressed the need to reopen trekking destinations before the spring season next year, saying their closure after the Pahalgam attack had affected adventure tourism.
Tour operators say sustained confidence-building measures, the reopening of destinations and better promotion will be crucial to restoring Kashmir’s tourism momentum.