Jammu and Kashmir has recorded a steady and significant rise in tourist arrivals since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, with visitor numbers climbing from 25.24 lakh in 2020 to a peak of 2.36 crore in 2024 — a near tenfold increase over four years. As the nation approaches the seventh anniversary of the historic constitutional change, tourism data offers one of the clearest indicators of ground-level transformation in the Union Territory.

Year-on-Year Tourist Arrivals

Official estimates from the Lieutenant Governor's office show a consistent upward trajectory in visitor footfalls: 25.24 lakh in 2020, 1.13 crore in 2021, 1.85 crore in 2022, 2.07 crore in 2023, and 2.36 crore in 2024. The growth rate across these years reflects both improving security conditions and a rapid expansion of tourism-enabling infrastructure.

The year 2025, however, proved to be a significant exception. A terror attack in Pahalgam — which claimed the lives of 26 tourists — dealt a severe blow to visitor confidence, pulling annual arrivals down to approximately 1.78 crore. The incident cast a shadow over what had been an otherwise unbroken growth story.

Tourism Rebounds in 2025 Despite Setback

Despite the Pahalgam attack earlier in the year, the Kashmir Valley is reportedly witnessing a rebound in tourist footfalls. Visitors arriving in recent months have affirmed their confidence in both the local administration and the region's population, according to reports from the ground.

One tourist, visiting Kashmir for the third time, said: 'Compared to last time, the atmosphere is much more peaceful this time. Local people are fully cooperating with tourists, which has made the experience better than before.' A woman tourist from Baroda, Gujarat, on her second visit, noted: 'The people here are showing us temples and other places. This time the experience has been very good. The security is very good.'

Infrastructure Expansion Driving Growth

According to the Lieutenant Governor's office, approximately 5,000 new hotels and guest houses have been established across the Union Territory over the past six years. More than 20,000 tourist vehicles have been added to meet rising demand, with large-scale investment also flowing into homestays and transport services.

Industry experts attribute the sustained growth to this rapid infrastructure build-out, which has improved accessibility and visitor experience across the Valley. Notably, the expansion has occurred alongside broader administrative and security reforms that followed the 2019 constitutional changes.

What the Numbers Signal

The tourism surge carries economic and political significance beyond headline figures. A near-tenfold rise in visitors over four years points to growing investor and traveller confidence in J&K as a stable destination. This comes amid continued Central government efforts to position the UT as a model of post-370 development.

Industry observers say the rebound underway in 2025 — despite the Pahalgam tragedy — reflects the resilience of both the local tourism ecosystem and traveller sentiment. Whether the sector can reclaim and surpass its 2024 peak will be closely watched in the months ahead.