Umaisar Gull Ganie
Pahalgam, Apr 22: Tourist arrivals in Pahalgam have witnessed a steady revival over the past year, following the return of normalcy after last year’s terror attack.
Official data accessed by the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) indicates that nearly 10 lakh visitors have travelled to the scenic resort since April 2025.
According to figures from the J&K Tourism Department, a total of 9,93,596 tourists visited Pahalgam between April 2025 and April 2026. The tourist flow had sharply declined in the immediate aftermath of the 22 April attack, which claimed the lives of 25 tourists and a local youth, Adil Hussain Shah. In May 2025, only 15,302 tourists visited Pahalgam—the lowest monthly figure recorded during the period. However, arrivals picked up steadily in the following months.
Month-wise footfall (April 2025 – April 2026): April 2025: 2,04,289; May 2025: 15,302; June 2025: 1,08,117; July 2025: 32,163; August 2025: 93,366; September 2025: 48,919; October 2025: 50,777; November 2025: 35,263; December 2025: 68,919; January 2026: 80,421; February 2026: 67,471; March 2026: 85,741; and April 2026 (till date): 1,02,848.
As per official figures, 9,638 foreign tourists also visited Pahalgam following last year’s terror attack. These visitors were from countries including the UAE, Thailand, Singapore, and Malaysia.
A total of 40,60,909 tourists visited Pahalgam from 2023 to April 2026. Of these, 14,54,269 visited in 2023, 12,65,925 in 2024, 10,04,234 in 2025, and 3,36,481 in 2026 (up to 20 April). Regarding foreign tourist arrivals, 15,061 visited in 2023, 14,483 in 2024, 9,090 in 2025, and 4,486 till April 2026.
Sandeep Seyal, a tourist, said they were in Pahalgam remembering the dark day last year when 26 people lost their lives. “The grief still remains, but while carrying that pain in our hearts, we must move forward. I want to tell people across the country that the situation which existed here 15–20 years ago no longer prevails. The atmosphere here is normal and peaceful, and the government has done significant work. I urge everyone to visit and support us so that we can strengthen the bond of Kashmir with India and boost the local economy. Tourism is the backbone of the economy here.”
Another tourist, Tanya from Delhi, said, “I am feeling very good here. There is a lot of pollution in Delhi, so we came here to enjoy the pleasant weather.” She said that last year, on this day, the Baisaran attack took place. “It feels emotional to be here on its anniversary. The incident was very unfortunate and tragic. However, the situation now feels normal and safe. People should not be afraid and should visit Kashmir to experience its beauty and support tourism.”—(KNO)
