Jammu and Kashmir counts over 7.85 crore visitors in three years against 4.76 crore in an earlier three-year period

Background

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who holds the tourism portfolio, placed visitor figures before the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly in February 2026. The Union Territory recorded over 7.85 crore visitors in the three years 2023-25, against 4.76 crore in 2016-18. The Kashmir division rose from over 59 lakh in 2016-18 to 2.42 crore in 2023-25, while the Jammu region went from 4.16 crore to 5.43 crore. Kashmir drew over 98 lakh visitors in 2024 and over 47 lakh in 2025, a fall the Government linked to the Pahalgam terror attack. The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine at Katra received over 95 lakh pilgrims in 2024, up from 90 lakh in 2023.