Kashmir welcomes 9.2 million tourists in 6 years, Modest rise in revenue: RTI

May 21, 2025 by News Desk

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Jammu Kashmir received over 9.2 million tourists since 2019, including more than 1.4 lakh foreign nationals, according to data obtained via a Right to Information (RTI) query filed by activist MM Shuja. However, government earnings from outsourced tourist assets during the same period amounted to only Rs 619.26 lakh (Rs 6.19 crore).

The data shows tourist footfall rebounded after the pandemic lull — rising from 5.65 lakh visitors in 2019 to nearly 30 lakh in 2024, marking a 432% increase. In contrast, revenue from 60 outsourced tourist assets rose 173.4%, from Rs 70.57 lakh in 2019–20 to Rs 192.96 lakh in 2023–24.

The disproportionate growth suggests that per-tourist revenue generation has declined, with earnings in 2023–24 averaging just around Rs 6.43 per tourist — a figure that does not fully represent overall tourism-related income but signals low direct returns from government-leased assets.

Officials attributed the increased footfall to promotional events like the G-20 Tourism Working Group Meeting (May 2023) and the J\&K Tourism Development Conclave (June 2024). Together, these events cost over Rs 1.45 crore, nearly matching the total revenue for 2023–24.

The 60 tourism properties were outsourced under an “as-is-where-is” model, which involves leasing assets without renovation or infrastructure upgrades. Revenue figures include lease fees and rent but do not cover wider tourist spending on accommodation, food, transport, or handicrafts, making them only a partial indicator of the sector’s economic impact.

Tourist data is compiled manually at Srinagar Airport and highway checkpoints by Tourist Police, which may not fully capture real-time movement or visits to remote destinations.