JAMMU, Dec 26: Despite severe disruptions caused by terror attacks, security operations and unprecedented natural disasters, the Jammu Division of Jammu and Kashmir recorded a tourist footfall of over 1.47 crore visitors this year, including nearly 12,900 foreign tourists, officials said.
The tourism sector remained under pressure following the Pahalgam terror attack in April, the subsequent Operation Sindoor in May, and heavy rainfall and flash floods in August that largely affected the Jammu region. Several key tourist and pilgrimage destinations, including Mata Vaishno Devi, Shiv Khori, Patnitop, Sanasar and Bhaderwah, were among the worst hit.
According to official data, a total of 1,47,32,552 tourists, including 12,889 foreigners, visited various destinations across the Jammu region so far this year.
Of these, 63,68,233 pilgrims, including 12,885 foreign visitors, paid obeisance at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Reasi district. Other major destinations also witnessed significant footfall, including Shiv Khori (9,65,592), Patnitop (7,93,168), Mansar (7,62,588), Sanasar (4,31,582), Bhaderwah (2,74,175) and Surinsar (1,81,023).
Religious and heritage sites such as Ziarat Shahdara Sharief (13,30,512), Ziarat Sain Miran Sahib (5,66,814), Baba Chamliyal (2,09,768), Chichi Mata (2,00,945), Sukrala Mata (2,58,433) and Budha Amarnath (52,227) also attracted large numbers of visitors.
Monthly data shows that tourist arrivals peaked in April (17,38,413) before dipping sharply in May (8,97,622) amid heightened Indo-Pak tensions following the Pahalgam attack. The numbers recovered in June (21,38,056) and July (16,22,169) but declined again in August (11,32,762) due to widespread floods. Tourist arrivals stood at 4,41,010 in September, 7,43,117 in October, before rising sharply to 19,05,061 in November, officials said.
The August 14 cloudburst-triggered flash floods in Chositi village of Kishtwar district, which claimed 68 lives and injured over 300 people, and the August 26 landslide near the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra that killed 34 people, severely impacted tourism during the peak season.
Officials noted that despite these challenges, tourist arrivals in Jammu and Kashmir have shown steady growth over the past four years. Between 2021 and 2024, the Union Territory received 7,49,70,943 tourists, including pilgrims to the Mata Vaishno Devi and Amarnath shrines.
The number of foreign tourists visiting Jammu and Kashmir has increased manifold during this period, reflecting renewed confidence in the region’s tourism potential, officials added.