Srinagar, Mar 13: Reaffirming the government’s commitment to boosting the tourism sector and attracting more visitors to Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday emphasised the importance of tourism in the Union Territory’s economy.
“Tourism not only contributes significantly to Jammu and Kashmir’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) but also plays a key role in generating employment opportunities,” the Chief Minister said during question hour in Legislative Assembly.
Omar Abdullah, who also serves as the Minister In-Charge of Tourism, revealed that over 23.5 million tourists visited Jammu and Kashmir in 2024, marking a significant rise in tourist inflow compared to previous years. In 2023, the number stood at 21.18 million, underscoring the growth in the sector.
The Chief Minister pointed out that the tourism industry offers both direct and indirect employment to various groups, including hotel staff, tour operators, cab drivers, souvenir vendors, and local youth.
In response to a query by MLA Ali Muhammad Sagar, Omar Abdullah reiterated that the government was actively working to increase tourism by diversifying the offerings. “We are promoting different forms of tourism, including adventure tourism, MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions) tourism, golf tourism, eco-tourism, pilgrimage tourism, cultural tourism, and heritage tourism,” he said. The goal, he added, is to attract a wider range of visitors to the region.
CM Abdullah highlighted the government’s efforts to promote both popular and lesser-known tourist destinations. The tourism department is focusing on the development of offbeat locations like Gurez, Keran, Bangus, Tosamaidan, Aharbal, Doodpathri, Machil, Bhaderwah, Sukrala Mata, and Pancheri. He said that these areas are being considered for infrastructure upgrades to attract more tourists to Jammu and Kashmir.
Providing the details regarding the increasing tourist influx to Jammu and Kashmir in the past few years , Omar Abdullah revealed that a total of 21180011 tourists visited J&K in 2023 while the number went up to 23,590,081 tourists visiting J&K in 2024.
Omar Abdullah also provided updates on ongoing infrastructural projects aimed at enhancing the tourism experience. Over the past three years, the tourism department has initiated a total of 23,984 infrastructural works, of which 549 have been completed as of 2022-2023. In 2023-2024, 1,191 works were initiated, with 516 already completed. For 2024-2025, 1,914 works have been planned, and 1,057 have been completed to date.
Regarding the proposal to create Tourism Development Boards for popular sites like Dal Lake peripheries, Nishat Garden, Chashmashahi, Pari Mahal, and Harwan, the CM clarified that no such proposal is currently under consideration.
CM Abdullah also touched on the department’s efforts to promote Jammu and Kashmir’s tourism on national and international stages. “The Department of Tourism has been actively advertising prominent tourist destinations through campaigns at national and international platforms,” he added.
