Suhail Khan
Srinagar, Jan 09: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday said that a significant surge in tourist arrivals is being observed across Kashmir’s premier destinations following recent snowfall, marking a gradual revival for the Kashmir’s vital tourism industry.
Reflecting on a challenging previous year, CM Omar as per Kashmir Convener said, “2025 was difficult for us. Just as tourism was beginning to recover, the Delhi bomb blast proved to be another setback, following the deadliest Pahalgam terror attack earlier in the year.” He said, “However, since the snowfall began, tourism in Kashmir has increased.”
The Chief Minister indicated a strategic shift in publicity efforts, stating, “We will not release the tourism data this time. But we will continue to promote tourism the numbers and our success ratio will remain with us.”
“Our main tourism markets are Gujarat, Maharashtra, and West Bengal,” Abdullah stated. “We are trying our best to revive traffic from these states. I cannot declare we have fully succeeded, but it feels like tourism has gradually revived since the snowfall started.”
Earlier this year, the Chief Minister called for a unified and collaborative effort to position Jammu and Kashmir as the world’s premier tourism destination.
Outlining a clear benchmark for success, CM Omar said, “Our achievement will not be measured by a single tourist visit, but by the choice of visitors to return to us again and again.”
Emphasizing the vital role of hospitality, he insisted, “Our conduct towards every visitor must be impeccable. We cannot afford any lapse that would give them reason not to come back.”
“Our endeavor must be that at the end of each season, every tourist says, ‘Beyond Kashmir, I have no desire to go anywhere else.’ Only then can the Jammu and Kashmir Government, the Tourism Department, and every stakeholder consider their mission accomplished.”
In a related development this week, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah virtually inaugurated a 14-day Integrated Ski Training Course. He stated that the program, spanning iconic locations including Gulmarg, Sonamarg, and Doodhpathri, will focus on imparting foundational skiing skills such as gliding, snow ploughing, and turns.
The initiative aims to provide certified basic training to approximately 500-600 students aged 12 to 18 this year, while simultaneously invigorating winter tourism across the Kashmir Valley.
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