Union Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has said that there are signs that tourism to Kashmir, which saw a dip after the Pahalgam attack on April 22, will likely return to normal by the end of the year.
“The way tourism has recovered in J&K over the last 1.5 months, we will be able to achieve pre-Pahalgam status by December,” Shekhawat said on Thursday, June 19.
Appealing to people to join the Amarnath Yatra that starts from July 3, he added that, “Kashmir is safe, and tourists should visit the valley. I appeal to the 140-crore people of India to try and see Kashmir’s heritage and its historical grandeur and divinity, along with its natural beauty.”
In a post on X, the Union Minister said he visited the majestic Martand Sun Temple. “Built by the legendary King Lalitaditya, this grand temple dedicated to Surya was one of the earliest and most magnificent sun temples in India,” Shekhawat said.
“If it looks this awe-inspiring in its weathered form, one can imagine its grandeur of yore given the temple’s scale, sculptural richness, and strategic location atop a plateau overlooking the valley,” he added.
The minister was on a two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir to take stock of the tourist activities in the valley after the terrorist attack. He visited the place of attack in Pahalgam and other historic places like the Avantipura temples. He also met tourists and locals, including Sajjad Ahmed Bhat, who saved the lives of tourists during the terrorist attack in Pahalgam.
Shekhawat said that Kashmir has historic archaeological splendour, which is being preserved by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). "I can say with confidence that the kind of preparations that the Ministry of Tourism of the Government of India and the Government of Jammu and Kashmir have made, in the coming 15–20 days, tourists will once again return to the valley as before. Tourism in the state will once again touch new heights,” he said.
The Union Minister also met Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. An official said the duo “discussed strategic measures for strengthening the tourism sector in Jammu and Kashmir.”
The one-on-one meeting focused on a broad range of initiatives aimed at boosting tourism infrastructure, promoting heritage and cultural sites, and creating sustainable livelihood opportunities for local communities, the official said.
Both leaders underscored the significance of tourism as a key driver of economic growth and cultural exchange in the region.
(With inputs from multiple news reports)