#PahalgamTerrorStrike : Heinous Attempt To Destroy Kashmir And Wreck Booming Tourism

When Kashmir was gradually returning to normalcy as a peaceful tourist destination after decades of unrest, the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 brought back the ghastly memories of terrorism. It was the first attack of it’s kind after the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019. When Kashmir’s valley should’ve been echoing with the laughter of tourists, it was shaken by the crack of gunfire. The attack didn’t just kill people, it ended hope for many in the blooming tourist season.

Kashmir, which had finally started rewriting its story from conflict to calm, has once again been dragged back by the same old shadows. The attack, though temporarily, has for now silenced an entire economy that was learning to dream again. The incident has already triggered mass cancellations, hotel bookings are down, and many tour operators are reporting a sharp fall in enquiries.

Tourism is one of the most important sectors in Jammu and Kashmir. According to the state’s Economic Survey, the sector contributes between 7% and 8% to the region’s Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP). With the total GSDP estimated at Rs 2.65 lakh crore, tourism is believed to be worth between Rs 18,500 crore and Rs 21,200 crore annually. The state government had set a target to raise this contribution to 15% in the coming 4–5 years. But the Pahalgam attack has put these plans in danger.

The attack has impacted the hotels, transport, handicrafts, and local markets alike. Over the last few years, Kashmir had seen a steady rise in the number of visitors. Tourist arrivals grew from 34 lakh in 2020 to a record 2.36 crore in 2024. This included 65,000 foreign tourists. Even in 2025, the start of the season had shown promise. Srinagar’s Tulip Garden alone attracted 8.14 lakh visitors in just 26 days.

The damage is not limited to tourism. The attack may also impact other sectors that had started to grow in recent years. These include retail, handicrafts, shawl and carpet weaving, and small businesses. Hotels and restaurants across Kashmir Valley, houseboats and boats (shikaras) on the pristine Dal Lake, ponies in striking hilly terrains, taxis on the plains, and arts and craft businesses in markets and outside fabled Mughal gardens depend on tourism in Kashmir. In recent times, Kashmir has also begun hosting tourism and cultural events, giving a boost to the event management industry.

According to Babar Chaudhary, president of the Jammu and Kashmir Hotels and Restaurants, “At least 13 lakh bookings scheduled in August have been cancelled across the valley. The association represents around 240 hotels and restaurants. From April to August, over 25 lakh tourists usually visit Kashmir. This year, at least 90 per cent of them won’t come because of the fear.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Mann Ki Baat radio show on April 27 said, “At a time when peace was returning to Kashmir, schools and colleges were vibrant, democracy was getting strengthened, there was a rise in tourism, and new opportunities were being generated for the youth, but the enemies of Jammu and Kashmir and the country did not like this. Terrorists want to destroy Kashmir once again.”

According to Jammu and Kashmir’s Department of Tourism, the total number of tourists in Jammu and Kashmir in 2024 was approximately 35 lakh, a rise from 27 lakh in 2023 and 26 lakh in 2022. About 5 lakh tourists visited the region in the first three months of 2025. The coward attack may have put temporary breaks, but in the hour-of-grief, entire nation stand strong not only with those who lost their loved ones but all the Kashmiris to fight out the cancer namely, terrorism, from it’s roots and see that the ‘paradise on Earth’ blooms forever.