After Attacks Kashmir’s tourism industry may collapse again, many bookings cancelled

New Delhi. The terrorist attack in Pahalgam, a famous tourist destination of Jammu and Kashmir, has shaken the entire country. On Tuesday, terrorists brutally killed 28 innocent people in this beautiful and peaceful tourist destination. Most of the people killed were tourists who had come here to celebrate holidays with their families. They would not have even thought that the place where they were going to get a few hours of happiness would bring a lifetime of sorrow from there.

This attack has happened at a time when the situation in the valley was normal and the tourism industry had once again gained momentum. Hotels were full, Shikaras were buzzing on Dal Lake, taxis were standing in line and there was a hustle and bustle of tourists everywhere from the airport to Pahalgam, but this incident has once again spread fear and silence in the valleys of Kashmir.

The splendor was returning with the help of tourism
In the last few years, a big boom has been seen in the tourism sector of Jammu and Kashmir. After the removal of Article 370 in 2019, there was an atmosphere of instability in the valley, then Covid stopped everything. But the situation started improving from 2021.

According to the data of Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Department, a total of 1.13 crore tourists had arrived here in 2021. In 2022, this figure increased to 1.88 crore and in 2023 it reached 2.11 crore. In 2024, a record 2.36 crore tourists visited Jammu and Kashmir, out of which 27 lakh tourists reached Kashmir alone.

There was so much demand for hotels in the valley that tourists were accommodated in private homestays at many places. Destinations like Gulmarg, Sonamarg, Pahalgam started shining again. Hotel chains were expanding their business, Gulmarg had been included in the top ski destinations of Asia.

Tourism plays a big role in Kashmir’s economy
According to the Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Policy 2020, tourism contributes more than 7 percent to the GSDP here. In 2018-19, the estimated GSDP of Jammu and Kashmir was Rs 1.57 lakh crore, in which the direct share of tourism is more than Rs 11,000 crore. At the same time, the contribution of tourism was 7.84% in 2019-20, which increased to 8.47% in 2022-23.

Thousands of families in the valley are associated with the tourism industry. Shikara operators, guides, taxi drivers, hotel staff, restaurants, artisans, handicraft sellers, everyone’s livelihood depends on this. The government estimates that the tourism sector creates about 50,000 new employment opportunities every year. Apart from this, a target was also set to train 4,000 tourism service providers in the next 10 years.

Expansion was taking place in every sector
The government had planned to make Jammu and Kashmir India’s most favourite tourist destination by 2025. For this, a target of investment of Rs 2,000 crore has been set every year. To promote tourism in the state, not only natural beauty, but also adventure tourism, wellness tourism, saffron tourism, horti-tourism, heritage and cultural tourism was being given priority. Tourists’ interest in options like trekking, skiing, rafting, rock climbing, camping, and mountain tourism was constantly increasing.
Not just tourism, fruit market is also booming

Not just tourism, but the fruit trade also flourished rapidly in the valley. Especially the fruit market of Sopore, which is considered the second largest fruit market in Asia after Delhi’s Azadpur Mandi, had an annual turnover of Rs 7,000 crore in 2024. Thousands of farmers and laborers from districts like Kupwara, Bandipora, Baramulla and Budgam are associated with this market, whose entire livelihood depends on these seasonal trades.

Kashmir was gradually moving towards a new identity. The thinking of seeing the valley only with violence and conflict was changing. Tourists from India and abroad had started coming here again. But now this terrorist attack in Pahalgam has again reminded the valley of the same old fear. Hundreds of people who were planning to go to Kashmir are now changing their minds. The central government and the Jammu and Kashmir government have condemned the attack and said that the culprits will not be spared. Security has been beefed up and every effort is being made to control the situation, but it is difficult to remove the fear that is inside the people. This attack is not just on 28 people but on the entire country, on those Kashmiris who were running their households with the help of the tourism sector. If people do not go there, they will lose their jobs and hundreds of families will be affected.