J&K tourism boom: Book hotels 2 months ahead, says BJP's Ram Madhav
Synopsis
BJP Vice-President Ram Madhav's candid advice to Nepali visitors — book Srinagar hotels two months out or go without — is more than a travel tip. It is the ruling party's most vivid public claim yet that J&K's post-Article 370 transformation has translated into real, on-the-ground change. Combined with a decade-old Mufti Sayeed disclosure and a defence of the Ram Temple trust, the Kathmandu speech covered a lot of political ground in one sitting.
Key Takeaways
BJP Vice-President Ram Madhav said tourists must book Srinagar hotels at least two months in advance due to surging demand.
He credited the reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir as a Union Territory on 31 October 2019 and the abrogation of Article 370 for the tourism boom.
Madhav revealed that then CM Mufti Mohammad Sayeed told him the PDP was 'placing the destiny of 1.3 million people ' in PM Narendra Modi 's hands when the BJP-PDP coalition was formed.
He called the reported financial irregularities at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust a 'one-time aberration' involving roughly 20-25 people , all of whom were 'immediately apprehended.' The Trust is reportedly appointing a Chief Executive Officer to strengthen oversight of temple operations.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Vice-President Ram Madhav on Thursday, 27 August urged visitors to Jammu and Kashmir to book hotel rooms at least two months in advance, citing a dramatic surge in tourist footfall since the region was reorganised as a Union Territory in 2019. Madhav made the remarks at the NDTV World 'Anviksha' Summit in Kathmandu, a day-long dialogue focused on India-Nepal relations, regional politics, and economic ties.
The Tourism Transformation
'If any friends from Nepal plan to visit Srinagar anytime, you better book your hotel rooms at least two months in advance. Otherwise, you may not get rooms. It is now such a popular tourist destination,' Madhav said. He added that 'so much has changed in Jammu and Kashmir in the last seven years.'
The state of Jammu and Kashmir was bifurcated and reorganised as the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and a separate Union Territory of Ladakh on 31 October 2019, following the abrogation of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution. Madhav credited the resulting administrative overhaul for the region's tourism revival.
A Decade-Old Disclosure on the BJP-PDP Alliance
Madhav also offered what he described as a first public account of a private exchange from roughly a decade ago. He recalled that then Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed told him, at the time the BJP and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) finalised their coalition government, that he was 'placing the destiny of my 1.3 million people in the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government.'
'After 10 years, we've bettered the destiny of Jammu and Kashmir. You have a better Jammu and Kashmir today,' Madhav said, attributing the improvement to the Modi government's stewardship of the region.
Ram Temple Fund Controversy Called a 'One-Time Aberration'
Responding to a separate question at the summit, Madhav addressed reported financial irregularities at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust in Ayodhya, describing the episode as 'an unfortunate aberration' rather than a systemic failure. He emphasised that the issue was 'actually identified by the administration of the Temple only, not an outsider.'
According to Madhav, the alleged wrongdoing involved 'a small group, of about 20-25 people' who were 'immediately apprehended' once the matter came to light. He said the Temple administration has since initiated structural reforms, including the appointment of a Chief Executive Officer to oversee operations. 'It's a very-well managed Temple today,' he declared.
Summit Context and What's Next
The Anviksha Summit brought together politicians, diplomats, business leaders, technology experts, entrepreneurs, athletes, and cultural figures from both India and Nepal. Madhav's remarks on J&K tourism are likely to draw fresh attention to the region's hospitality infrastructure, which has come under strain from rising visitor numbers. Whether the Centre moves to expand accommodation capacity in Srinagar and surrounding areas remains to be seen.
Point of View
Relatable, and impossible to fact-check in real time. The deeper question is whether J&K's tourism surge reflects durable structural change or a pent-up post-abrogation curiosity that hospitality infrastructure is already struggling to absorb. His decade-delayed disclosure of Mufti Sayeed's words is also notable: attributing the late CM's trust in Modi to the BJP's own narrative, without Sayeed's family or the PDP present to contest the framing, is a rhetorical move that deserves scrutiny. On the Ram Temple fund issue, calling an alleged misappropriation involving 20-25 insiders a 'one-time aberration' may reassure BJP supporters, but it sidesteps the governance question of why such oversight gaps existed in one of India's most high-profile religious institutions.
NationPress
28 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Ram Madhav say tourists should book J&K hotels two months in advance?
BJP Vice-President Ram Madhav said Srinagar has become so popular a tourist destination that hotel rooms are extremely difficult to secure without advance booking of at least two months. He attributed the surge in visitor numbers to the transformation of Jammu and Kashmir following its reorganisation as a Union Territory in 2019.
What changes occurred in Jammu and Kashmir in 2019?
On 31 October 2019, the state of Jammu and Kashmir was bifurcated into two Union Territories — the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the Union Territory of Ladakh — following the abrogation of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution. The reorganisation ended J&K's special status and brought it under direct central administration.
What did Ram Madhav reveal about the BJP-PDP coalition?
Madhav disclosed for the first time, by his own account, that the late Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed told him when the BJP-PDP alliance was finalised that he was 'placing the destiny of my 1.3 million people in the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government.' Madhav said this trust had been honoured over the subsequent decade.
What is the controversy around the Ayodhya Ram Temple trust?
There have been reports of financial misappropriation involving the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust in Ayodhya. Madhav described the episode as a 'one-time unfortunate aberration' involving around 20-25 people, who were apprehended after the temple's own administration identified the issue. He said the trust is now appointing a CEO to strengthen governance.
What was the NDTV World Anviksha Summit in Kathmandu?
The Anviksha Summit was a day-long dialogue held in Kathmandu on 27 August, focused on Nepal-India relations and covering politics, economy, society, and the future of the region. It brought together politicians, diplomats, business leaders, technology experts, entrepreneurs, athletes, and cultural figures from both countries.
