Kathmandu. The terrorist attack in Pahalgam in Kashmir on April 22 has caught the attention of the world. It was unimaginable that this would happen every year in a place where millions of tourists go on holiday with their families and create some beautiful moments of life. The terrorists killed 26 nepalis after asking for their identity. Most of those killed were tourists.
Someone had just been married. Some had gone there to collect money and spend happy moments with their families. However, they had no information about the terrorist attack. The incident has angered the whole world from Jammu and Kashmir.
This terrorist attack seems to have eclipsed peace and stability in Jammu and Kashmir. The tourism industry, which is expanding rapidly there, has now suffered a major setback. There is fear among people about going to Kashmir.
This attack can affect all areas of Kashmir. Tourism in particular may have a greater impact. Investors who intend to open hotels, companies, and do fruit businesses can shake their confidence. This could hurt Kashmir’s economic progress, which has stabilized after years of hard work. Not only this, it can also have a profound impact on the income of the people of Kashmir.
It contributes 7-8 per cent to Kashmir’s GDP. There is no specific data for the tourism sector in the Economic Survey and budget documents. However, with a GDP of Rs 2.65 lakh crore, the annual value of tourism is between Rs 21,000 crore.
The terrorist attack in Pahalgam took place at a time when the tourist season was at its peak. Due to this attack, people have canceled their travel. Most of the 30% of the tourists coming from Eastern India come from West Bengal. In 2020, there were 3.4 million tourists, which increased to 23.6 million in 2024. It also included 65,000 foreign tourists. The beginning of 2025 was also good. The Tulip Garden in Srinagar was visited by 81.4 million tourists in 26 days. – Agency
