Despite being severely impacted due to Pak-sponsored terror attacks (Pahalgam), Operation Sindoor, and unprecedented rains and floods, the Jammu Division of Jammu and Kashmir this year recorded more than 1.47 crores tourists including 12,000 foreigners visiting the various destinations.
The tourism sector in Jammu and Kashmir this year remained impacted due to Pahalgam terror attack in April followed by Operation Sindoor in May and heavy to heavy rains and flash floods in the month of August that largely hit the Jammu Division.
The tourist destinations including Mata Vaishno Devi, Shivkhori Shrines, Patnitop, Sanasar, Bhaderwah were the worst hit.
As per the officials, a total 1,47, 32,552 tourists including 12889 foreigners visited the Jammu region this year so far.
Officials said that out of this, 63,68,233 pilgrims visited the holy cave shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi nestled in the Trikuta Hills of Reasi district comprising 12885 foreigners.
Similarly, officials said that 965592 pilgrims visited Shiv Khori in Reasi, 793168 in Patnitop (Ramban-Udhampur), 762588 tourists visited Mansar (Samba-Udhampur), 157753 visited Suchetgarh R S Pura (Jammu), 200945 visited Chichi Mata (Samba), 258433 visited Sukrala Mata (Kathua), 20939 visited Mata Bala Sundri (Kathua), 1330512 visited Ziarat Shahdara Sharief (Rajouri), 566814 visited Ziarat Sain Miran Sahib (Poonch), 50487 visited Nangli Sahib (Poonch), 274175 (one foreigner) visited Bhaderwah (Doda), 209768 visited Baba Chamliyal (Samba), 76425 visited Purmandal (Samba), 83352 visited Utterbehni (Samba), 128713 visited Banihal (Rajouri), 431582 visited Sanasar (Ramban), 181023 visited Surinsar (Jammu), 316517 visited Paddar/Machail (Kishtwar), 137017 visited Kishtwar, 969659 visited Jhiri (Jammu), 110487 visited Pancheri (Udhampur), 138953 visited Sudh Mahadev (Udhampur), 81098 (3 foreigners) visited Tatta Pani (Ramban), 52227 visited Budha Amarnath (Poonch), 16687 visited Dera ki Gali (Rajouri), 29309 visited Loran and 7 Lakes (Poonch), 16554 visited Ranjit Sagar Lake (Kathua) and 3542 visited Baradari (Reasi).
Officials further stated that this year, in January, 1404306 tourists visited the Jammu region and in February, the figure was 1116986, in March it touched 1580161 and in April, 1738413 tourists visited the parts of Jammu region.
During the Indo-Pak tension that broke out in May (Operation Sindoor) after the Pahalgam terror attack in April, lowest 897622 tourists visited the Jammu region but the figure increased in June (2138056) and July (1622169).
However, in the month of August, there was a decline in the number of tourists due to unprecedented rains and floods, and as many as 1132762 visitors were recorded followed by 441010 in September, 743117 in October and 1905061 in the month of November.
Officials said that the August 14 flash floods triggered to the cloudburst occurred in Chositi village of Kishtwar district that caused 68 deaths and left more than 300 injured and August 26 landslide en-route Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra that claimed 34 lives, also widely impacted the tourism season this year in the Jammu region.
Notably, from 2021 to 2024, Jammu and Kashmir received a total of 7,49,70,943 tourists including pilgrims of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in Jammu and the Amarnath Cave Shrine in Kashmir.
In 2021, a total of 1,13,16,534 tourists visited Jammu and Kashmir and out of this, Jammu received 1,06,50,757, while Kashmir got 6,65,777 visitors.
In 2022, the tourist footfall was 1,88,84,317, out of which 1,62,10,875 visited Jammu, while Kashmir received 26,73,442 and similarly, in 2023, out of a total of 2,11,80,011 tourists, 1,80,24,176 visited Jammu and 31,55,835 visited Kashmir.
In 2024, while 2,35,90,081 tourists visited Jammu and Kashmir, Jammu received 2,00,91,379, and Kashmir 34,98,702. The number of foreign tourists in Jammu and Kashmir has risen manifold in the last four years. (Agencies)
