Raja Syed Rather
Srinagar, May 19 : The Kashmir Valley has witnessed an unprecedented revival in tourism, recording over 9.2 million visitors since 2019, including more than 1.4 lakh foreign tourists, according to official figures from the Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Department.
Data accessed through a Right to Information (RTI) query filed by activist MM Shuja reveals a sharp growth trajectory following the COVID-19 pandemic slump. Tourist footfall plummeted in 2020 to just over 41,000 due to global travel restrictions. However, the sector rebounded significantly, with nearly 30 lakh tourists visiting in 2024 alone — the highest in five years.
From 5.65 lakh visitors in 2019 to nearly 3 million in 2024, domestic tourism has remained the backbone of this resurgence. Foreign tourist numbers, although comparatively smaller, have steadily increased, reflecting growing international interest in the region.
Officials attribute the surge to improved infrastructure, strategic promotional events such as the G-20 Tourism Working Group Meeting in May 2023, and the J&K Tourism Development Conclave in June 2024. These events, costing over Rs 1.45 crore combined, aimed to showcase Kashmir as a premier global destination.
Between 2019 and 2024, the Kashmir Valley witnessed a significant rise in tourism, with a total of over 92 lakh visitors, including 1.4 lakh foreign tourists. Tourist numbers dipped sharply in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, recording just over 41,000 visitors. However, the region saw a strong recovery, with tourist arrivals rising to over 6.65 lakh in 2021, 23.1 lakh in 2022, 27.1 lakh in 2023, and nearly 29.9 lakh in 2024. The highest domestic footfall was recorded in 2024 with over 29.4 lakh Indian tourists, while foreign arrivals peaked the same year at 43,654.
Additionally, revenue from outsourcing 60 tourist assets under the “as is where is” model touched Rs 619.26 lakh since 2019 — with annual earnings nearly tripling from Rs 70.57 lakh in 2019–20 to Rs 192.96 lakh in 2023–24.
Tourist data is primarily collected through manual entries at Srinagar Airport and highway checkpoints by the Tourist Police, underscoring efforts to maintain real-time statistics.
This remarkable revival positions Kashmir as a key player in India’s tourism landscape, signalling optimism for continued growth and global recognition.
