Dal Lake, one of Jammu and Kashmir's most iconic tourist attractions (Photo: Incredible India)
Jammu and Kashmir continues to witness strong tourism growth, with domestic travellers accounting for nearly 95 pc of all tourist arrivals. The Union Territory is also preparing a long-term strategy to promote sustainable tourism by balancing infrastructure development with environmental conservation.
According to Syed Qamar Sajad, Director Tourism, Kashmir, domestic tourists remain the primary driver of the tourism sector. He says foreign tourist arrivals witnessed a temporary decline due to geopolitical developments in the Middle East, but international visitor numbers are now gradually recovering.
Sajad says that the Tourism Department is working on a comprehensive long-term roadmap for sustainable tourism development. The department is consulting tourism stakeholders, industry representatives and local officials across Jammu and Kashmir to prepare a strategy that supports tourism growth while protecting the region’s fragile ecosystem.
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He notes that environmental conservation must remain at the core of tourism planning. Sajad suggests that the loss of one tree for development should be compensated by planting ten new trees, adding that the tourism and education departments are jointly promoting afforestation and environmental awareness initiatives across the Union Territory.
Expressing confidence about the future of the sector, Sajad adds that continued improvements in tourism infrastructure, closer collaboration with stakeholders and a stronger focus on sustainability are expected to further enhance tourism’s contribution to the economy of Jammu and Kashmir.
