Turbulent Kashmir has started harvesting the dividends of peace as 6.25 lakh tourists flocked the Valley so far this year.
Turbulent Kashmir has started harvesting the dividends of peace as 6.25 lakh tourists flocked the Valley so far this year. The number excludes a record 6.35 lakh pilgrims visit to the holy Amarnath cave shrine this year.
Improvement in the overall situation is being seen the biggest motivational factor for tourists to visit Kashmir this summer. Plus marketing successes and attitudinal changes too have contributed to the huge rush of tourists.
“Situation this year has helped people. Around 6.25 lakh tourists have tasted hospitality of Kashmir. If we include six lakh plus yatris we have hosted over 12 lakh guest here in the Valley,” said Omar Abdullah J&K chief minister.
Official figures reveal that last year the tourists’ arrivals were 7.36 lakh excluding 4.5 lakh Amarnath pilgrims. The figures, however, were contested by the tour operators who claimed that the 2010 agitation killed whole tourism season and arrivals dropped considerably after June.
“We are more than half way through this year and the numbers so far are encouraging. Kashmir has been the favourite destination for tourists before the militancy started in 1990. The improvement in the situation has contributed to the good number of tourist arrivals this year so far. In September and October we are expecting more tourists”, said Nasir Aslam Wani, J&K minister of state for tourism.
Peaceful summer has witnessed the highest rush of tourists and now the tour operators are pinning hope on autumn when puja holidays starts in eastern part of the country. Winter tourism remains the biggest draw adventure lovers and honeymooners who love to visit Gulmarg to enjoy skiing and Christmas.
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