The Economic Survey 2024-25 reveals that Kashmir has had 80 percent fewer tourists compared to Jammu over the past four years. This survey highlights a clear difference in the number of visitors, with Jammu attracting many more tourists than Kashmir.
In 2021, Jammu welcomed 10,650,757 tourists, while Kashmir only saw 665,777 visitors. This brought the total number of tourists in Jammu and Kashmir that year to 11,316,534. The trend continued in the following years, with Kashmir consistently having 80 percent fewer tourists than Jammu.
Here are the tourist numbers for the following years:
- 2022: Jammu had 16,210,875 visitors, while Kashmir had 2,673,442, making a total of 18,884,317 for the whole region.
- 2023: Jammu’s numbers rose to 18,024,176, and Kashmir received 3,155,835 tourists, totaling 21,180,011 visitors.
- 2024: Jammu saw 20,091,379 tourists, while Kashmir recorded 3,498,702 arrivals, including both local and foreign travelers.
The 2024 figures also include 511,922 Amarnath Yatris and 9,455,605 Vaishno Devi Yatris, showing the importance of pilgrimage tourism in the area.
Despite having fewer overall tourists, Kashmir has seen a significant increase in foreign visitors. In 2021, Kashmir welcomed just 1,614 foreign tourists compared to only 36 in Jammu. The numbers grew in the following years:
- 2022: 19,947 foreign tourists in Kashmir vs. 38 in Jammu.
- 2023: 37,678 foreign visitors in Kashmir compared to 17,649 in Jammu.
- 2024: Kashmir had 43,654 foreign arrivals, nearly double the 21,798 in Jammu.
The survey shows that the number of foreign tourists in Kashmir has increased by over 300 percent in the last four years, highlighting its growing appeal to international travelers.
The 3rd Tourism Working Group Meeting of the G20, held in Srinagar from May 22 to 24, 2023, brought attention to Jammu and Kashmir, marking an important moment for its tourism industry. Major events like the first-ever Sunburn Musical Festival in Jammu and the F4 Car Show in Srinagar have also showcased the region’s vibrant culture and tourism potential.
As Jammu and Kashmir continues to improve its tourism offerings, there is hope that the gap in tourist numbers between the two regions will close.
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