PAHALGAM & SRINAGAR
Kashmir’s April sky is a deep sapphire. The sun feels closer, and the cool mountain air stirs green leaves as far as the eye can see.
Someshwar Rao, 55, who has travelled from Andhra Pradesh, walks through the streets of Pahalgam with his family. “We wanted to come to Kashmir once,” he says. Yet, his guide Sameer notices how often Rao pauses to ask if the place was truly safe.
The Valley is in a phase it recognises all too well. Economic activity has slowed. Dal Lake now appears desolate, with its 500-odd houseboats reporting barely 20 per cent occupancy. Mughal Gardens and other heritage sites are no longer crowded. Photographers, artisans, taxi drivers, street vendors and shawl sellers are all feeling the downturn.
Some trekking routes remain shut. Guides say the closure of high-altitude areas after the Pahalgam attack on April 22, 2025, has further dampened activity. “In places like Baisaran Valley, we used to spot rare birds. Now we can only show common species,” says Ishaq Lone, a bird-watching guide. “Our work had dropped to zero. Now it is around 30 per cent and slowly improving.”
The slowdown has also led to tighter security measures. Tourism-linked workers are being verified, and plans are underway to introduce uniforms for pony operators and others in high-altitude areas. A senior police officer says surveillance has expanded significantly. “Taxi stands, stations, crossings and pony stands are now linked to CCTV systems. Facial recognition cameras have been installed at key points, creating a database to identify suspects.”
This spring, encouraged by tighter security and driven by tulip and almond blooms, the Valley has recorded roughly a third of its usual tourist flow. The summer season, when much of India reels under intense heat, is expected to bring more cheer.
“Kashmir has seen far worse,” says Farooq Ahmad Kuthoo, president of the Travel Agents Association of Kashmir. “In the mid-1990s, at the peak of insurgency, tourism had completely stopped. Compared to that, we are still in a better position, and there is confidence that numbers will rise again.”
Such a pattern has repeated itself over the years. After the unrest of 2016 following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani, tourist numbers had collapsed. “Within six months, tourists returned in even larger numbers,” says Saqib Gadoo, who has been in the travel business since 2011. “Each decline has eventually been followed by growth.”
The post-pandemic years marked a turning point. Tourism expanded not just in scale but in rhythm. The idea of a fixed “season” began to blur, with visitors arriving year-round, often in their own vehicles. March and April started seeing early surges. By 2024, tourist numbers had crossed 35 lakh, up from under ten lakh before the pandemic, excluding Amarnath yatris. The boom triggered a wave of investment. Homes were converted into guesthouses, and new resorts sprang up across the Valley.
Officially, tourism contributes around 8 per cent to Jammu and Kashmir’s economy, though its real impact is far greater. More than five lakh people depend on it directly or indirectly. Tourism in Kashmir stretches back nearly 200 years, shaped by travellers, chroniclers and rulers who carried stories of its beauty far beyond the region. “Partition did disrupt travel for a time due to changes in routes and connectivity,” says historian Altaf Hussain Parra. “But Kashmir quickly regained its place as one of the most attractive destinations in the East.”
Today, perception remains the biggest hurdle. A few months ago, travel agents say, over 80 per cent of enquiries were about safety. That figure has now dropped to below 30 per cent. “And once we reassure them, they usually go ahead and book,” says Firdous, a local travel agent.
Emaad Umar, who opened a resort in Pahalgam a few weeks ago, says the picture is uneven rather than bleak. Gulmarg is operating at around 80 per cent occupancy, Sonamarg is close to normal, Srinagar is above 50 per cent and Pahalgam is over 40 per cent, officials say. “In Gulmarg, the Gondola business matches last year’s levels. Around 5,000 people take the first phase daily, generating about Rs60 lakh in revenue,” says Syed Qamar Sajad, director of tourism, Kashmir.
For many visitors, what stands out is not just the landscape but the people. “The scenery is stunning, but what makes Kashmir different is the hospitality,” says Simran Singh, who has travelled to several hill stations. “What stays with you is how you were treated.” That, some experts argue, is central to Kashmir’s enduring appeal. Yaqeen-ul-Haq Ahmad Sikandar, a psychologist of Kashmiri origin based in Turkey, believes the Valley’s pull lies as much in its people as in its scenery. “When locals carry on with composure, it reassures visitors,” he says. “Even those who arrive with hesitation begin to feel at ease through personal interactions.”
Tourism in Kashmir operates differently from destinations that market certainty and security. “It does not promise absolute certainty,” says Sikandar. “Yet people still choose to come.”