KULLU: The killing of tourists in Kashmir’s Pahalgam is likely to have far-reaching consequences and impact on the tourism sector in neighbouring mountain states, mainly Himachal Pradesh, in an unprecedented way. As a majority of people have cancelled their travel bookings for Kashmir in the wake of the April 22 terror attack, experts point out that Himachal might start witnessing a surge in tourist footfall, both domestic and foreign.
Tourist footfall in 2 states
“It’s a sad and highly unfortunate incident. This tragedy not only upended the tourism sector in Kashmir, but will also impact the neighbouring states of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. I was in the tourism business for more than five decades but never saw or heard of such a heinous thing before,” said Mohinder Seth, the president of Himachal Pradesh Tourism Stakeholders’ Association.
“While travelling, safety is the topmost concern. This tragedy is likely to divert Kashmir tourists to Himachal Pradesh and also to Uttarakhand. This horror struck just when tourism was getting back on track in a vigorous way in Kashmir,” added Seth.
According to the Economic Survey report (2024-25) for Jammu and Kashmir, tourist footfall had increased in Kashmir four times since 2021. As per the report, Kashmir saw a rise in the number of tourists from 6.65 lakh in 2021 to 34.97 lakh, an increase of around 425%. Along with domestic tourists, there was also an increase in the number of foreign visitors from 1,614 in 2021 to 43,654 in 2024. Overall, the entire Jammu and Kashmir region saw a record 2.36 crore tourist arrivals in 2024. This figure includes the numbers for Jammu.
The tourism sector makes up for 7.2% of the GDP of Jammu and Kashmir.
On the other hand, the tourism industry contributes 7.78% to the state GDP of Himachal Pradesh, which has also been seeing a rise in tourist footfall after facing a slump during the pandemic years. As per the Economic Survey report for Himachal Pradesh for 2024-25, the number of domestic visitors increased from 56.32 lakh in 2021 to 1.8 crore in 2024. The foreign travellers also increased from 5,000 in 2021 to 83,000 in 2024.
According to Panki Sood, a Kullu-based hotelier who promotes sustainable tourism, the terror attack is a major setback for Kashmir tourism. “A whole generation grew up wanting to go to Kashmir, and it was only in the last three years that people’s dream of visiting the paradise started coming true. It took decades to build the trust that you are safe in Kashmir. But now that trust is broken. This tragedy pushed back Kashmir tourism at least 15 years,” said Sood.
Sood called it a “sad reality” that the tragedy would divert tourism to Himachal and Uttarakhand. “We don’t want such tourism, but travellers and tourists don’t have any other choice. We may even witness double the tourist traffic this year. We are assuring our brethren in Kashmir that we are standing by them and will help them operate in Himachal if they wish so,” added Sood.
According to experts, an increase in the number of tourists will further pressurise tourism infrastructure in the state. “We don’t have too many tourist destinations in the mountains, making everybody head mainly for Himachal Pradesh. The tourist destinations remain chock-a-block, especially during summertime. I think the govt needs to strengthen tourism infrastructure, including accommodation, roads, and parking, to accommodate the additional flow of visitors,” said Ankur Thakur, a state-based hotelier.
Ladakh guv asks people to welcome tourists
The lieutenant governor of Ladakh, Brig B D Mishra (retd), on Thursday appealed to all stakeholders and sought their assistance in welcoming tourists with open arms and taking all necessary measures to increase the footfall of tourists in Ladakh. In a statement, Mishra said tourism is the lifeline of the people of Ladakh, as the majority of people are engaged in tourism activities for their livelihood. He asked tourism stakeholders to welcome and support tourists and not indulge in any malpractices that might hamper the footfall and affect the livelihood opportunities of the people of Ladakh. He stated that going by the trend, he was expecting more tourists to visit Ladakh in 2025 than in 2024. He added appropriate action would be taken against the travel advisories issued by the United States and United Kingdom, categorising the UT of Ladakh under Jammu and Kashmir and thereby creating confusion and concern among foreign and domestic tourists.
