{"id":13444,"date":"2026-02-27T19:47:39","date_gmt":"2026-02-27T19:47:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/?p=13444"},"modified":"2026-02-27T19:47:39","modified_gmt":"2026-02-27T19:47:39","slug":"tourism-rebounds-in-kashmir","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/2026\/02\/27\/tourism-rebounds-in-kashmir\/","title":{"rendered":"Tourism rebounds in Kashmir"},"content":{"rendered":"

Bookings rise steadily as reopened destinations witness growing footfall<\/strong><\/p>\n

Srinagar, Feb 27: Tourism activity in Kashmir is showing signs of recovery nearly a year after the April 22 Pahalgam attack, with hoteliers and tour operators reporting a steady rise in bookings following the reopening of several major destinations.<\/p>\n

The Jammu and Kashmir administration has reopened 14 prominent tourist spots in a phased manner after reviewing security arrangements. The move, announced by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, includes destinations such as Pahalgam, Yusmarg, Doodhpathri, the Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden in Srinagar and Wular Lake in north Kashmir.<\/p>\n

The revival comes after a sharp decline in footfall in the immediate aftermath of the attack, which had led to temporary closures and cancellations at the peak of the spring season.<\/p>\n

Speaking with the news agency\u2014Kashmir News Observer (KNO), hoteliers in Srinagar said bookings have improved over the past few weeks.<\/p>\n

Manzoor Ahmad, who runs a hotel near Dal Lake, said occupancy at his property has reached around 65 per cent. \u201cThere was uncertainty earlier, but enquiries have increased. Families from Maharashtra and Gujarat have confirmed bookings for the coming weeks,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Tour operators attribute the uptick to improved security measures and sustained outreach by the administration led by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.<\/p>\n

Nisar Ahmad, a tour coordinator, said warmer weather has also contributed to the rise in arrivals. \u201cPeople are calling regularly to check packages for Gulmarg and Pahalgam. The situation is much better compared to a few months ago,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Shopkeepers in tourist hubs echoed similar views. Abdul Rashid, who runs a handicrafts store in Lal Chowk, said sales had been hit badly after the incident. \u201cNow we see customers walking in again. Even if business is not at its peak, there is hope,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Tourists visiting the Valley said they felt reassured by the visible security presence and local hospitality.<\/p>\n

Ritu Sharma, a visitor from Delhi, said her family decided to go ahead with their trip after speaking to friends who had recently returned. \u201cWe felt safe and welcomed. The natural beauty is as breathtaking as ever,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Another tourist, Aditya Menon from Bengaluru, said Kashmir remains on the bucket list for many travellers. \u201cIncidents can happen anywhere, but the arrangements here are professional,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Officials said the tourism sector contributes significantly to the Union Territory\u2019s economy and expressed hope that a sustained inflow of visitors will further stabilise livelihoods linked to the industry. (KNO)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Bookings rise steadily as reopened destinations witness growing footfall Srinagar, Feb 27: Tourism activity in Kashmir is showing signs of recovery nearly a year after the April 22 Pahalgam attack, with hoteliers and tour operators reporting a steady rise in bookings following the reopening of several major destinations. The Jammu and Kashmir administration has reopened […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":13445,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"jnews_override_counter":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,32],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13444","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-top-news","category-kt-front"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13444","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13444"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13444\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13446,"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13444\/revisions\/13446"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13445"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13444"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13444"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13444"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}