Pahalgam attack affected tourism, steps of revival showing positive result

The Pahalgam terror attack last year in which 25 tourists and a local guide were killed adversely affected the tourism in the Kashmir Valley, J&K government informed the assembly on Tuesday even as steps for revival of tourism is showing positive results.

In the assembly, legislator Mubarak Gul asked the government whether the tourism got affected after Pahalgam attack and sought to know steps government has taken for tourism revival in the Valley.

On April 22, a group of heavily armed terrorists targeted tourists on the Baisaran grassland near Pahalgam in Kashmir, killing 26 people, 25 of them tourists.

After the attack, 50 tourist places across J&K were closed and now 39 have been reopened. On Monday, 11 more tourist places, including Asia’s largest Tulip garden, were thrown open after complete security review.

“Pahalagam terror attack has adversely affected the tourist flow in whole Kashmir Valley thereby affecting livelihood of stakeholders associated with tourism sector,” the government said in the House.

The government also said that several steps have been taken for revival of tourism in the J&K. “In order to revive the tourism in J&K , the department has undertaken vigorous promotional, infrastructure up – graduation, and confidence – building measures ti revive and boost tourism in the Union Territory of J&K. A series of promotional campaigns, flagship events, and thematic festivals have been organised across the country and within the UT, which have yielded positive results, and the current winter tourist season is witnessing heightened activity,” the government said in the assembly.

Before the Pahalgam attack, Kashmir was full of tourists and the attack prompted an exodus of most of the visitors from the valley. However, after the improvement in security situation, opening of some sites, inauguration of Vande Bharat train and successful completion of Amarnath Yatra, the tourists have slowly made a comeback to the valley.