Tourist arrivals picking up as conditions improve after Pahalgam attack: CS
Jammu, Jan 17: Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Friday said that the tourism sector in Jammu and Kashmir, which suffered a major setback following the Pahalgam terror attack and subsequent adverse weather conditions, is gradually showing signs of recovery, with tourist arrivals picking up as conditions improve.
Dulloo said that a major project has been conceptualised to promote sustainable tourism in emerging destinations with the objective of reducing pressure on traditional hotspots across J&K, and its implementation is being carefully planned.
“If we look at tourism, the impact after the Pahalgam attack and subsequently the rise in incidents of heavy rains and floods caused significant losses in 2025. However, we are now gradually seeing a recovery. As weather conditions improve, tourist arrivals have started increasing again,” Dulloo said in a video interview here.
He said that while revival is underway, the government is reassessing its tourism strategy to prepare for rising visitor numbers and sustainable growth. “As tourism grows, we must also focus on how prepared we are to manage the increasing footfall. This calls for a reassessment of our tourism strategy and capacity,” he added.
The chief secretary stressed the need to develop new tourist destinations to reduce pressure on traditional hotspots that often exceed their carrying capacity during peak seasons. “By developing new destinations, tourist footfall will be distributed more evenly. This will generate employment for local communities, lead to infrastructure development, attract investment and help mitigate seasonal tourism peaks,” he said.
