13 Crore Tourists Visit Jammu and Kashmir in 10 Years

Kashmir’s Tourism Revival After the Pandemic

The biggest shift in Kashmir’s tourism story came after 2020. While the pandemic heavily impacted travel across India, Jammu and Kashmir witnessed a remarkably fast recovery once tourism activities resumed. This consistent rise highlights how rapidly Jammu and Kashmir Tourism has expanded in recent years.

According to tourism department data:

• 2021 recorded around 1.13 crore tourists.
• 2022 saw a major jump to 1.85 crore visitors.
• 2023 crossed 2 crore arrivals.
• 2024 became the strongest tourism year ever with 2.35 crore tourists.
• 2025 recorded around 1.77 crore tourist visits.

Several factors have contributed to the sharp rise in Tourism in Kashmir:

• Better Connectivity and Infrastructure: Improved road networks, expanded air connectivity, and upgraded tourism infrastructure have made travel easier across the region.
• Rise of Year-Round Tourism: Earlier, most travellers associated Kashmir mainly with summer vacations. Now, snowfall tourism, tulip season travel, adventure activities, and spiritual tourism are attracting visitors across all seasons.
• Strong Domestic Travel Demand: Domestic tourism has played the biggest role in the recovery. Families, honeymooners, bikers, and group travellers are increasingly choosing Kashmir for short and long holidays.
• Growing Interest in Experiential Travel: Travellers today are exploring local culture, Kashmiri cuisine, village stays, and offbeat valleys beyond the traditional circuits.

The tourism surge has also boosted interest in several iconic destinations. Some of the top tourist destinations of Kashmir continue to witness heavy tourist movement every year:

• Srinagar and Dal Lake
• Gulmarg
• Pahalgam
• Sonamarg
• Vaishno Devi pilgrimage route
• Mughal Gardens
• Gurez Valley and other emerging offbeat regions

These destinations remain central to the experience of travellers visiting Kashmir for leisure, pilgrimage, and adventure.

• The growing number of tourists is also creating better opportunities for local people and businesses across the region.
• Hotels, houseboat owners, taxi drivers, handicraft sellers, tour operators, and even small local eateries are seeing more business as tourism continues to grow.
• The steady rise in visitors clearly shows how Jammu and Kashmir Tourism is becoming one of the most important tourism economies in the country.

The numbers clearly show that Kashmir is no longer witnessing a temporary travel spike. The region is steadily becoming one of the country’s most active tourism hubs with year-round demand.

As infrastructure continues improving and traveller confidence remains high, Tourism in Kashmir is expected to maintain its upward growth trajectory in the coming years, further strengthening the appeal of visiting Kashmir for travellers across India and abroad.