After a deadly attack in Indian-controlled Kashmir led to a sharp decline in tourism and brought India and Pakistan to the brink of war two months ago, the picturesque Himalayan valley is beginning to show signs of a tourism revival. This resurgence is crucial for the local economy and the livelihoods of many residents who depend on the industry.
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06-23, 2025Shabana Awaar is filming her children taking turns riding paddle boats on Dal Lake, Srinagar's most iconic tourist attraction. Ms. Awaar, along with her husband, children, and 12 other relatives, traveled from the western state of Rajasthan. Their presence highlights the enduring appeal of Kashmir despite recent challenges.
“I have visited Kashmir many times and seen the main attractions like Gulmarg, Sonamarg, and Pahalgam, and this time I wanted my relatives to also enjoy these beautiful sights,” Ms. Awaar said. The Awaar family had planned this 10-day trip back in March. “Summers in Rajasthan are unbearably hot, so we planned to come to Kashmir for the summer break with the kids.”
However, the situation on the ground changed dramatically since she planned the trip. On April 22, militants attacked tourists visiting a site near the town of Pahalgam, killing 26 people. The unprecedented attack on tourists in Jammu and Kashmir, a federally administered territory whose economy relies heavily on tourism, sent shockwaves across India. Authorities closed 48 tourist spots in the valley, two-thirds of which remain closed.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has been actively lobbying to reopen the sites to attract tourists back to the region. “The impact of the attack was immediate and it was widespread,” he said. “Tourists who were already here left in droves, and those who were planning to come cancelled in droves. And then in May, India and Pakistan were actually virtually at war for a few days,” Abdullah told the BBC.
“So the lasting impact has been the deterioration in relations between the two countries and the fact that our tourist season this year is going to be – what’s the word I’m looking for? I suppose you could call it a disaster.” Kashmir is a region claimed by both India and Pakistan and has been a focal point of conflict for decades. The two nuclear-armed South Asian neighbors have fought two wars and a limited conflict over Kashmir. For the past quarter-century, the region has experienced an armed insurgency against Indian rule, but even at the height of the insurgency, tourists were rarely targeted.
Ms. Awaar said her family decided to continue with their vacation because “we weren’t really afraid” and “we thought we would deal with whatever came our way.” She said, “We are glad we went ahead with our plans. The situation here is normal,” and she blamed “media hype” for giving the impression that it was unsafe to travel to Kashmir.
The Awaar family is not the only one feeling optimistic. Deepti and Anuj Gandhi from Jammu made their plans just last week, saying there is “no better place to escape the heat than Kashmir.” She said, “The kids love riding the paddle boats, and then we’ll go for a boat ride on the lake. We come here every year, so why break the tradition?”
Earlier this week, the news agency ANI reported that a group of Polish tourists had arrived in the city. The arrival of tourists just weeks after the Pahalgam attack has brought optimism to hoteliers, taxi drivers, tour guides, shopkeepers, and boatmen. The boatmen ferry tourists on Dal Lake in narrow, colorful wooden boats resembling Venetian gondolas.
Haji Wali Mohammed Bhat, president of the boatmen's association, said that in April, the Dal Lake boulevard was packed with thousands of tourists, causing traffic jams every day, and many people complained that they had difficulty finding accommodation. “The attack on tourists was unfortunate and tragic,” he said. “It affected all of us and our livelihoods. Tourists are our lives, and tourism is our lifeline. God knows what sins we are paying for,” he added despairingly.
Ravi Gosain, president of the Indian Association of Tour Operators, recently led a three-day “fact-finding mission” of tour operators – because “they are the people who send tourists to Kashmir.” He said, “Tourism has been booming in Kashmir for the past few years, with many new hotels being built, new vehicles being purchased, and new shops being opened.” Last year, the government said that 23.6 million tourists visited Jammu and Kashmir, including 3.49 million who visited the valley.
Mr. Gosain said that the valley lost its peak season this year, but tourism can still recover. “The locals are very hospitable, the hoteliers, guides, and shopkeepers are very friendly, and people are coming back. You can see – all the flights are coming in full, and tourism is bouncing back quickly.” He added, “I think the national sentiment is that if the aim of the attack was to disrupt tourism, then it won’t succeed. But I hope there won’t be any more unfortunate incidents.”
Part of the credit for the revival of tourism in Kashmir is reportedly due to a new railway link that connects Srinagar to the rest of India for the first time. The two daily trains from Srinagar to Katra station in the Jammu region have been running at full capacity, and tickets are sold out for the next two months. The railway recently made headlines for passing over the “world’s highest single-arch railway bridge.”
Katra is the starting point for those visiting the popular Hindu shrine of Vaishno Devi, which attracted 9.48 million pilgrims last year. Since the brand-new air-conditioned train service began on June 7, many of those arriving there have been hopping on the train to Kashmir. Among the pilgrims taking advantage of the convenient transport are Ghanshyam Bharadwaj and his wife, Mamata Sharma, along with their children. For the Delhi couple, who were enjoying hot sweet tea near Dal Lake, coming to Srinagar was a “spur-of-the-moment decision.”
Mr. Bharadwaj said, “It only took us three hours from Katra. We’ll spend the night here and take the train back to Katra tomorrow and then head to Delhi.” I asked him if he was worried about traveling to the valley so soon after the Pahalgam attack? He said, “There’s nothing to be afraid of. This is my country.”
Chief Minister Abdullah said the fact that pilgrims are choosing to come to the valley is a good start. “Now those who are coming for a few hours, I hope to see them coming for a few days. Those who are coming for a few days, I hope to see them confident enough to stay for a week. But at least it’s a beginning, and it will help.”
