tourism in kashmir 2023

We have updated our terms and conditions and privacy policy Click "Continue" to accept and continue with ET TravelWorld

We use cookies to ensure best experience for you

We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalize content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audience is coming from. You can also read our privacy policy , We use cookies to ensure the best experience for you on our website.

By choosing I accept, or by continuing being on the website, you consent to our use of Cookies and Terms & Conditions .

• Leaders Speak
• Brand Solutions
• Jammu and Kashmir: Tourism triumphs in 2023

In 2023, Jammu and Kashmir became a global tourism hub, welcoming 2.02 crore tourists and over 50 thousand foreign visits. Focus was on various tourism offerings including MICE tourism with U/T hosting key events like the G20 Tourism Working Group meeting. Reminiscing the year that was for J&K Tourism, Syed Abid Rasheed Shah, Secretary Tourism & Culture, Govt of J&K, shares the key highlights with ETTravelWorld.

• Syed Abid Rasheed Shah ,
• ETTravelWorld
• Updated On Jan 2, 2024 at 12:21 PM IST

Cruise, offbeat and rural tourism to be integral part of MP Tourism’s 2024 roadmap

As per the department’s update, tourism in Madhya Pradesh bounced back in 2023, backed by the state government efforts. Introduction of new circuits, festivals and setting of tent cities at offbeat destinations, providing rural experiences were some of the hallmarks of 2023. Looking ahead, MPTB plans to make tourism more holistic, sustainable, eco-friendly and adventure packed with intra-state cruises, wellness retreats, reintroduction of small aircrafts and more in the pipeline.

• By Syed Abid Rasheed Shah ,
• Published On Jan 2, 2024 at 12:21 PM IST

All Comments

By commenting, you agree to the Prohibited Content Policy

Find this Comment Offensive?

• Foul Language
• Inciting hatred against a certain community
• Out of Context / Spam

Join the community of 2M+ industry professionals

Subscribe to our newsletter to get latest insights & analysis., download ettravelworld app.

• Get Realtime updates
• Save your favourite articles

• jammu and kashmir
• G20 Tourism Working Group meeting
• royal springs golf course

You will be redirected to your dashboard shortly. We will also call you back in 24 hrs .

• 30 Unbelievably Beautiful Places To Visit In Kashmir One Cannot Miss In 2024

23 Mar 2023

Enclosed by the snow-clad mountains and the gleaming lakes, Kashmir is a haven for all. Also known as India’s Switzerland, Kashmir invites you to seek solace amidst nature while indulging in thrilling activities. With many places to visit in Kashmir , you can have an exhilarating experience with loved ones. The moment you step into the paradise, you will feel ecstatic and escape the city’s hustle and bustle. With this blog, you discover the ultimate attractions that create a unique experience.

30 Places To Visit In Kashmir In 2024

If you’re traveling to this part of the country for the first time, then you cannot dare to miss these picturesque places in Kashmir and enjoy the scenic beauty of the state at its best. Check out this list of the top places to visit in Kashmir and pick the best ones for your next vacation. 

• Srinagar – Heaven On Earth
• Gulmarg – Ski Your Way
• Sonamarg – The Land Of Gold
• Leh – 3 Idiot’s Location
• Kupwara – The Delight Of Kashmir
• Kathua – Lesser-Known Gem
• Kargil – A Witness Of Many Wars
• Pulwama – All About Natural Springs & Apple Orchards
• Pahalgam – Get Allured By Picturesque Views
• Hemis – The Famous Snow Leopard Capital
• Jammu City – The City Of Beauty
• Kishtwar – Animal Lover’s Paradise
• Doda – Mini Kashmir
• Poonch – Offbeat Location
• Anantnag – Home To Temples
• Nishat Garden – Perfect For A Laid-Back Day
• Shalimar Garden – Photographer’s Paradise
• Chashmashahi – One Of The Mughal Gardens
• Jama Masjid – Marvel At The Intricate Architecture
• Yusmarg – Sit In Tranquility
• Vaishno Devi – Haven For Pilgrims
• Patnitop – Picture-Perfect Paradise
• Aru Valley – Perfect Place To Unwind
• Amarnath – Marvel At The Natural Occurences
• Sanasar – Ideal For Adventure Junkies
• Dachigam National Park -Flora & Fauna
• Khilanmarg – Paradise For Skiing
• Baltal – For Picturesque Landscapes
• Bhaderwah – For Stunning Vistas
• Kishtwar National Park – For Musk Deer & Himalayan Bear

1. Srinagar – Heaven On Earth

Image Credit: KennyOMG for Wikimedia Commons

Srinagar is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful and famous places to visit in Kashmir in December. From boating to trekking, bird watching to water skiing, Srinagar place has it all. Locally this place is known as the mirror to the mountains. Srinagar is a first stopover for every traveler. Moreover, it is the largest city of Kashmir. This place is enclosed by the green mountains and the main highlight being the Dal Lake.  It gives a close outlook to the Kashmiri cuisine and the state’s culture, making it a perfect destination for history buffs. All in all, Srinagar is among the important places to visit in Kashmir for immense fun.

Best Time To Visit: June to October, and for snow you must visit Srinagar in December or January Things To Do In Srinagar: Stay in the boat house, Visit the Mughal gardens, Take the shikara ride How To Reach:

• By Air: Srinagar Domestic Airport is well-connected to all the major cities in India and you can easily board a flight and read Srinagar.
• By Bus: Board a government or private bus to Srinagar.
• By Train : Jammu is the nearest railway station.

Places To Stay:  Four Points, Shamus Javed Home Stay, S Group Of Houseboat, Radisson Srinagar, Hotel Fabulous Kashmir Places To Visit: Dal Lake, Mughal Gardens, Nishat Bagh

Must Read: 10 Festivals In Jammu And Kashmir

Looking To Book A Holiday Package?

Spellbinding Cochin Family Tour 2D/1N Package @ Rs 2,750

Plan your trip today!

Himachal Family Tour Package 4D/3N @ Rs 8,750

Get quotes from multiple travel experts.

Exciting Andaman Family Trip 5D/4N @ Rs 10,250

Compare & customize quotes before booking.

Gangtok & Darjeeling Tour Package 5D/4N @ Rs 13,000

Have Questions? Talk to our travel experts today.

Wonderful Goa Family Package 3D/2N @ Rs 6,500

Best prices guaranteed.

Riveting Rajasthan Vacation 3D/2N Package @ Rs 6,499

EMI option available.

Enchanting Uttarakhand Tour 4D/3N Package @ Rs 7,199

Explore best destinations with our experts.

Delightful South Weekend Tour 3D/2N Package @ Rs 4,999

Thrilling weekend full of fun.

Marvelous Gujarat Tour 3D/2N Package @ Rs 4,999

Talk to our experts today.

See more at TRAVELTRIANGLE.COM

2. Gulmarg – Ski Your Way

Image Credit: Codik for Wikipedia Commons

Famously known as the ‘Meadow of Flowers’, Gulmarg is one of the most beautiful places in Kashmir. It is a treat to the eyes with its spread of vibrant flowers against snow-capped mountains as backgrounds. Moreover, this region of Kashmir is known as the adventurer’s paradise. It offers vast options to travellers for skiing in the snow while enjoying the views around. The best time to visit Kashmir for snowfall is in the winter season i.e. December-January. Hence, Gulmarg is considered one of the top 5 places to visit in Kashmir.

Best Time To Visit: June to October, and for snow December & January would be the best Things to do in Gulmarg: Mountain Biking, trekking, Skiing if you visit in winter and Gondola rides for a panoramic view of the valley. How To Reach:

• By Air: You can board a flight till Srinagar Airport and then hire a cab to Gulmarg and reach in 3 hours.
• By Bus: Take a bus till Srinagar and then you can take a connecting bus to Gulmarg.

Places To Stay:  Heevan Retreat Gulmarg, Hotel Affarwat, Nedous Hotel Gulmarg, The Khyber Himalayan Resort & Spa, The Rosewood Places To Visit:  Gulmarg Biosphere Reserve, Strawberry Field, Apharwat Peak

3. Sonamarg – The Land Of Gold

Image Credit: Mohammad Iliyas khanday for Wikipedia Commons

Sonamarg, as the name suggests, is famous as the ‘Meadow of Gold’. An endless stream of stunning flowers and undulated trekking routes are its attractions. Sonamarg has to be on every visitor’s list of unique places to visit in Kashmir in winter for its mesmerizing aura and breathtaking views. Lastly, the best season to visit Kashmir is summer i.e. May-June when the valley is blooming with variegated flowers.

Best Time To Visit: June through October, December & January for snow Things to do in Sonamarg: Trekking, Camping and nature walks How To Reach:

• By Air: Srinagar airport is located at a distance of 70 km from Sonmarg and you can taxi from the airport and reach easily.
• By Bus: Take a bus to Srinagar and then you can take a connecting bus till Sonamarg.

Places To Stay:  Sheen Woods Resort, Hotel Barzman, Hotel Snow Land, Hotel Akbar Sonamarg , Hotel Village Walk 

Suggested Read: Pahalgam In Winter

4. Leh – 3 Idiot’s Location

Image Source: Shutterstock

Leh is one of the best and safe places to visit in Kashmir in summer. The lofty mountains, the alpine lakes, and the quaint settings enable Leh one of the best places to visit. This place is every biker’s dreamland. Clad in the beauty and love of nature, Leh offers breathtaking views, leaving no visitor disappointed. You must explore all the top places to visit in Leh when travelling to Kashmir.

Best Time To Visit: April to June, September to October. Most of the tracks are closed after November due to heavy snowfall Things To Do: Trekking and Mountain Biking is all it takes to give you a lifetime’s worth memories How To Reach:

• By Air: Take a flight till Leh Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport.
• By Bus : Take a bus till Srinagar and then you can take a connecting bus till Leh.
• By Train : Jammu Tawi is the nearest railway station.

Places To Stay:  Hotel Ladakh Greens, The Empyrean House, Raybo Hostel, The Grand Dragon Ladakh, Laksdup Guest House Places To Visit:  Zanskar Valley, Pangong Tso Lake, Kargil

5. Kupwara – The Delight Of Kashmir

Kupwara is a small district located in the state of Jammu and Kashmir and situated at a distance of 90 Km from the state capital, Srinagar. Blessed with nature’s finest views, the thriving meadows, alpine mountains, and the gushing clear water make Kupwara is one of the most beautiful places to see in Kashmir because of its abstract beauty.

Best Time To Visit: April to October Things To Do: Visit to Lolab valley, Qamar Reshi Sahib Shrine, Sheikh Baba Behram How To Reach:

• By Air: Take a flight till Srinagar Airport and then hire a cab to Kupwara.
• By Bus : Take a bus till Srinagar and then you can take a connecting bus to Kupwara.
• By Train : Baramulla is the nearest railway station.

Suggested Read: Kashmir During Snowfall Vs Kashmir In Other Seasons

Planning your holiday but confused about where to go? These travel stories help you find your best trip ever!

Nikhil Recites A Tale Of 11 Friends Who Went From Bengaluru To Ladakh

Bengaluru - Delhi - Leh - Ladakh - Leh - Delhi - Amristsar - Chandigarh - Bengaluru

Pranav Took A Solo Trip To Andaman & It Was Truly Wonderful

A backpacker's guide to the predominant Honeymoon destination!

Shivani Talks Of Her Trip To Mcleodganj & Dalhousie With Her Husband And Friends

Sunset views. Monasteries. Bhagsunath falls. And amazing street food.

Kanika Proves That Traveling With An Infant To Kerala Is Totally Safe & Wonderful

Beaches, Backwaters, Spas, & More. Take me there now, please!

Here's Why Aakanksha's Trip To Manali Changed Her Idea About Group Tours

Ideal long weekend getaway from Delhi! Isn't it?

Isha Elaborates On How She Went Solo To Kasol & Returned With Lots Of Friends

And tales of her exciting Kheerganga & Chalal trek...

Prasham's Account Of A Goa Tour Proves That Goa Is More Than A Party Destination

Adventure, sightseeing, laid-back beach tours, and it doesn't stop there!

Bhavya Gives An Extensive Account Of His Jaisalmer Trip With Friends

Desert safari, haunted Kuldhara village, & Gadisar Lake. There's more...

Ashish Tells Why Kashmir Turned Out To Be A Winter Wonderland For His Family

For Gondolas, Shikaras, and plenty of snow!

Arunav Can't Stop Praising His Adventurous Trip To Sikkim & Darjeeling With Friends

For adventure in Air, on Land, and in Water!

Avneet Describes Her Trip To Spiti With A Group Of Strangers That Became Friends

Sightseeing. Monasteries. Trekking. And beauty all along

6. Kathua – Lesser-Known Gem

Image Credit: GeographicalMan for Wikipedia Commons

Commonly called the City of Fufis, this city in Jammu and Kashmir shares the southern borders with Punjab and Himachal Pradesh. The city has a large presence of Sufi shrines of Pirs within its boundaries. For history lovers willing to have a glimpse of Kashmir’s past, Kathua should be on your list of top places to visit in Kashmir. Situated on the banks of a river, Kathua offers scintillating views and a serene atmosphere. The city is also a gateway to a state and a big industrial town with an army presence. So, if you are on a lookout for historical places in Kashmir, add this attraction to your itinerary.

Best Time To Visit: Summer is the best time to visit Kathua Things To Do: Jasrota fort is a must visit for history lovers. Picnicking in Ujh Barrage

How To Reach:

• By Air: Take a flight till Jammu Airport and then hire a cab.
• By Bus : Take a bus till Kathua.
• By Train : Take a train till Kathua Railway Station.

Places To Stay:  Coral River Resort, Hotel Orchard Green, Hotel Unite, Sai Guest House, Hotel Jewel Premium

7. Kargil – A Witness Of Many Wars

Image Credit: Darshancg for Wikimedia Commons

Kargil is a small town in the Kargil district of Ladakh region, which brings shivers down the spine of the Indian Citizens. This part of Ladakh is a must-visit for every first-time traveler to capture the undaunted beauty of the place. Kargil is the second largest town in Ladakh after Leh which offers a plethora of options to escape in nature’s lap. Not only does this city bring heart-touching memories but also provides scintillating views. The atmosphere in this city oozes with emotions.

Best Time To Visit: March to June Things To Do: Mountaineering in the Nun Mountains, trekking to Suru Valley. Visits to Mulbek Gompa, Shergol, Urgyan Dzong and Wakha Rgyal How To Reach: Take a bus or hire a cab to reach Kargil. Places To Stay:  Hotel Brown Hill-Kargil, Hotel D’Zojila, Royal Gasho Hotel, Hotel Zojila Residency

Suggested Read: 10 Resorts In Srinagar

8. Pulwama – All About Natural Springs & Apple Orchards

Famously named as the “Rice Bowl of Kashmir”, this quaint village in Jammu and Kashmir is a great place to witness the nature’s real beauty. Situated at a distance of 40 Kms from Srinagar, this place has many tourist sites for the first-time travelers to explore. This multi-hued city offers amiable weather, pleasant odor saffron fields, malleable citizens. One cannot have enough of the saffron fields and the rich culture in Pulwama which makes it one of the best picnic spots in Kashmir.

Best Time To Visit: April to October Things To Do: Mountaineering and trekking in summers and skiing and snowboarding in winters

• By Air: Take a flight till Srinagar Airport and then hire a cab.
• By Bus : Take a bus till Pulwama as it is well-connected with all the cities.

Places To Stay:  Hotel Six Seasons, Hotel Shuhrah-I-Afaq, Four Points, Hotel Ashai

9. Pahalgam – Get Allured By Picturesque Views

Pahalgam is considered as an illustration of the heaven on earth which is situated at an altitude of 2740 m. It is situated at distance of 95 Kms from Srinagar and surrounded by dense forests, beautiful lakes and meadows of flowers. Tranquility and serenity are the other names of Pahalgam. This tiny town is known to suck out all the stress of every visitor and is therefore counted amongst the top 10 places to visit in Kashmir.

Best Time To Visit: June to October, December & January for snow Things To Do In Pahalgam: Visit to Betab and Aru Valleys, Horseback riding, canoeing

• By Air: Take a flight till Srinagar Airport and then hire a cab till Pahalgam.
• By Bus : Take a bus till Srinagar and then you can take a connecting bus till Pahalgam.

Places To Stay:  Hotel Alpine K2, Eden Resorts & Spa, Hotel Island Pahalgam, Premier  Pahalgam Places To Visit:  Betab Valley, Mamal Temple, Sheshnag Lake

Suggested Read: 60 Best Hill Stations In India

10. Hemis – The Famous Snow Leopard Capital

Image Credit: Haseebamjad88 for Wikipedia Commons

One of the many unexplored destinations in Jammu and Kashmir, Hemis is a small village which is located at a distance of 40 km southeast of Leh. Like every other region of Jammu and Kashmir, Hemis also epitomizes natural beauty. Hemis is popularly known for its magnificent monasteries and national parks. It is a must visit in Kashmir in summers if you are a wildlife enthusiast. Rare species like the snow leopard and bharals find shelter in the national park here.

Best Time To Visit: May to July Things To Do: Visit the Hemis Monastery and the Hemis National Park

• By Air: Take a flight till Leh airport and then hire a cab till Hemis.
• By Bus : Take a bus till Leh and then you can take a taxi till Hemis.

11. Jammu City – The City Of Beauty

The city of Jammu is indeed one of the famous places in the Kashmir area. As you may know it, the city is bestowed by the presence of Mata Vaishno Devi Temple, a significant pilgrimage spot for Hindus. It is also called the City of Temples, as there are many religious sites here, including Peer Baba Temple, Mahamaya Temple and Peer Khoh. In addition, the city is beautified with scenic charm and rugged Bahu Fort. All in all, Jammu is considered one of the perfect places to visit in Kashmir in April for a wonderful experience.

Best Time To Visit: Anytime is the best time to visit Things to do in Jammu: Temple visit, sightseeing and trekking

• By Air: Take a flight till Jammu airport.
• By Bus : Take a bus till Jammu as it is well-connected with all cities by road.
• By Train : Take a traing till Jammu Tawi.

Places To Stay:  Hotel Raghunath, Lemon Tree Hotel Jammu, Sandy’s Homestay, Zone by The Park, Le Roi Jammu Places To Visit:  Vaishno Devi Temple, Raghunath Temple, Bahu Fort

Suggested Read: 10 Places To Visit In Kashmir In June 

12. Kishtwar – Animal Lover’s Paradise

Image Credit: Tseringdorjay4 for Wikipedia Commons

Since Kishtwar is somewhere far from tourists’ radar. Offbeat travellers consider it a gem. The landscape here bewitches with its lofty hills, lush greenery consisting of pine and deodar forests. The national park in Kishtwar attracts wildlife and nature enthusiasts. Other than that Machail Yatra and Sarthal Yatra are two pilgrimage circuits of high reverence, which you must consider during your visit. Hence, when you are searching for the best places to visit in Kashmir, do include this in your itinerary.

Best Time To Visit: Summer Things To Do: Trekking, camping, wildlife safari and pilgrimage

• By Air: Take a flight till Srinagar airport and then hire a cab till Kishtwar.
• By Bus : Take a bus till Kishtwar as it is well-connected with all cities by road.
• By Train : Udhampur is the nearest railway station.

Places To Stay:  Hotel Doda Darbar, Hotel Tourist Regency, Hotel Trinetra Resorts, Vardaan Hotels – PatniTop, Akas Resort Patnitop

13. Doda – Mini Kashmir

Image Credit: Arun Singh Suryavanshi for Wikipedia Commons

Blessed with diversity in its landscape, Doda is a place for adventure and nature lovers. Whether you are a beginner in adventure activities or an expert, you will consider this a gem. Doda, though lesser-known among tourists, is well known for two Hindu shrines, namely – Athra Devi Temple and Chandi Mata Temple.

Best Time To Visit: Summer Things To Do: Trekking, mountaineering, rock climbing and temple visit

• By Air: Take a flight till Srinagar airport and then hire a cab till Doda.

Places To Stay:  Sarain Darbar Lodge, Hotel Doda Darbar, MK HOLIDAY INN BHADERWAH

Suggested Read: 15 Things To Do In Srinagar  

14. Poonch – Offbeat Location

Image Credit: Ajaz Tantray for Wikipedia Commons

One of the top beautiful and must visit places in Kashmir, without a doubt, is Poonch. The lush green meadows, view of snow-capped mountains and the eighteenth-century Poonch Fort combine to weave a panorama that makes you weak in the knees. The seven lakes of Girgan Dhok have to be in your itinerary, alongside many religious shrines like Baksh Sahib and Gurudwara Nangali Sahib. So, what awaits you? Embrace an offbeat adventure in the heart of Kashmir. 

Best Time To Visit: Summer Things To Do: Temple visit, trekking and sightseeing

• By Air: Take a flight till Srinagar airport and then hire a cab till Poonch.
• By Bus : Take a bus from Srinagar to Poonch.

Places To Stay:  Poonch House, Akas Resort Patnitop, Hotel Trinetra Resorts

15. Anantnag – Home To Temples

Image Credit: Deepank Ranka for Wikimedia Commons

Adorned with flourishing gardens and freshwater springs, Anantnag is a divine destination. Right here, you get to enjoy the comfort of a city and the essence of nature. There is a number of places you can go on for a day tour, such as Verinag and Daksum. Surely, our list of Kashmir tourist places wouldn’t be complete without mentioning this one!

Best Time To Visit: Anytime Things To Do: Sightseeing, day trips, temple visits.

• By Air: Take a flight to Srinagar airport and then hire a cab till Anantnag.
• By Bus : Take a bus from Srinagar or Jammu to Anantnag.
• By Train : Take a train till Anantnag railway station.

Places To Stay: Hotel Himalaya House, Hotel Pahalgam Divine, Shahijahan Palace, Exploring Kashmir tours and Trekks, BG’s White Residential Home

Suggested Read: Kashmir Food

16. Nishat Garden – Perfect For A Laid-Back Day

Image Credit: Nishkamrazdan for Wikipedia Commons

Counted among the best places to go in Kashmir, Nishat Garden is considered to be amongst the largest Mughal Gardens located on the banks of Dal Lake. Nishat Garden is also known by the name the Garden of Bliss and rightly so, as there are breathtaking Zabarwan Mountains in the backdrop. This garden is historically famous and Asaf Khan, who was the brother of Nur Jahan designed it. This is definitely one of the best places to visit in Kashmir, India.

Best Time To Visit: October to December Things To Do: Walk in nature, watching the flowers Places To Stay:  Nishat Lake View Resorts, Zostel Srinagar, Grand Noora Palace, Young Beauty Star Houseboat, Fortune Resort Heevan – Member ITC Hotel Group

17. Shalimar Garden – Photographer’s Paradise

Image Credit: ANSAR AHMAD for Wikipedia Commons

This garden was established in the year 1616 by the well-known Emperor Jehangir, especially for his wife, Nur Jahan. After some time, another garden named Faiz Baksh was added to this one. You’ll find a canal inside the garden that has been embellished with polished stones at the boundaries. This canal at the centre of the garden is considered to be the focal point here. If you are looking for the best places to see in Kashmir, do stop by Shalimar Garden.

Best Time To Visit: October to December Things To Do: birdwatching, picnic

Suggested Read: 6 Haunted Places In Kashmir 

18. Chashmashahi – One Of The Mughal Gardens

Image Credit: Mili Ghosh for Wikipedia Commons

This garden was established in 1632 AD and is considered the smallest among the 3 Mughal Gardens in Kashmir. It was constructed by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. From here, you’ll get to see a really picturesque view of Dal Lake as well as many mountains in the neighbouring regions.

Best Time To Visit: October to December Things To Do: the place is ideal for picnicking Places To Stay: New Rajas Garden Houseboad, De Laila Houseboat, Vivanta Dal View, The LaLit Grand Palace

19. Jama Masjid – Marvel At The Intricate Architecture

Image Credit: Muhammad Mahdi Karim for Wikipedia Commons

This mosque is located in Nowhatta and is considered among the most pivotal ones in Srinagar. The mosque was constructed by Sultan Sikandar during the 1400 AD. moreover, the mosque was expanded by Sikandar’s son, Zain-ul-Abidin. You’ll find 370 wooden pillars in this mosque and a mesmerising courtyard – both of them are considered to be the major highlights of this mosque.

Best Time To Visit: October to December Things To Do: Sightseeing, exploring the rich religious aspect Places To Stay:  The Rising Shot, Radisson Blu Jammu, THE GRAND BANQUETS, Le Roi Jammu, Hotel Imperial Lodge

Suggested Read: Restaurants In Kashmir

20. Yusmarg – Sit In Tranquility

Image Credit: Suhail Skindar Sofi for Wikipedia Commons

This is considered to be the best place when it comes to observing the natural aspects of Kashmir. This is one of the top tourist places in Kashmir that is not much explored. If you go 4 kilometers downhill from this place, you’ll see the beautiful Nil Nag Lake which will be a treat to your eyes. You’ll find the true tranquillity as well as picturesqueness of Kashmir here.

Best Time To Visit: October to December Things To Do: Trekking, pony-riding

• By Air: Take a flight till Srinagar airport and then hire a cab till Yusmarg.
• By Bus : Take a bus from Srinagar to Yusmarg.
• By Train : Take a train till Jammu railway station and then take a cab till Yusmarg

Places To Stay: Hotel Shuhrah-I-Afaq, The Cedrus Resort, DUSKWOOD LODGE, Heritage Luxury

21. Vaishno Devi – Haven For Pilgrims

Image Credit: SUDEEP PRAMANIK for Wikipedia Commons

Nestled in Trikuta Hills, Vaishno Devi is a town famous for the temple that goes by the name of the town. It is said that Vaishno Devi is a manifestation of Goddess Durga from Hindu mythology. This place is considered sacred as it is counted among one of the 108 Shakti Peeth in India which is why this temple receives a heavy footfall every year. The journey to the temple includes a trek of 13 kilometers which takes 9-10 hours depending on your pace. Services like palanquins, ponies, and helicopters are also available for those who cannot walk or want to read early. There is no doubt that Vaishno Devi is counted among the top places to visit in Kashmir.

Best Time To Visit : March – October Things to do : Trekking, shopping, and trying local food.

How To Reach: The easiest way to reach Vaishno Devi is by taking a train till Katra railway station. Places To Stay:  Hotel Subash International, Devi Mahal, Madhu Palace, Hotel Bhavini, Hotel Kanshi Vishwa Nath

Suggested Read: 5 National Parks In Kashmir

22. Patnitop – Picture-Perfect Paradise

Image Credit: Vikas Panwar for Wikipedia Commons

Endless meadows and picturesque views describe Patnitop the best. Blanketed by the sky-high Himalayas covered with snow, Patnitop has created a niche in the tourism industry due to its surreal beauty. Along with this, the place also offers some thrilling activities that will treat the adrenaline junkie in you. It proves to be one of the top tourist places in Kashmir for both families and friends.

Best Time To Visit: May – June, September – October Things to do : Trekking, paragliding, and skiing

• By Air: Take a flight till Srinagar or Jammu airport and then hire a cab till Patnitop.
• By Train : Take a train till Jammu or Udhampur railway station and then take a cab till Patnitop.

Places To Stay:  Poonch House, Akas Resort Patnitop, Hotel Trinetra Resorts, Vardaan Hotels – PatniTop, Hotel Singh Axis

23. Aru Valley – Perfect Place To Unwind

Image Credit: KennyOMG for Wikipedia Commons

Located 12 kilometers from Pahalgam, Aru Valley is juxtaposed against the snow-clad peaks of the Himalayas. It serves as a base camp for several treks and lakes including Tarsar Lake and Kolhoi Glacier as well as counted among the best places in Kashmir. The valley is also home to the Aru River which is a tributary of the Lidder River. Nature lovers resort to this place for peace and to unwind in the lap of nature. Apart from this, Aru Valley offers some of the most enthralling activities like horse riding and hiking. During the winter months, the view of the whole valley covered with snow is a comfort to the eyes. A visit to this place in Kashmir will leave you in awe of nature.

Best Time To Visit: July – September Things to do : Horse riding and trekking

Suggested Read: 5  Waterfalls In Kashmir

24. Amarnath – Marvel At The Natural Occurences

Image Credit: Nittin sain for Wikipedia Commons

Amarnath is a haven for pilgrims and is counted among the top places to visit in Kashmir. Worshippers of Lord Shiva visit this place every year to take blessings and witness the enshrined image of Shiva which is popularly called Shivaling. People from all over the world resort to this place and indulge in the well-known ‘Amarnath Yatra’. It is believed that this is the same cave where Lord Shiva told about the secret of life and eternity to Goddess Parvati. If you are a true follower of Lord Shiva then make sure that you include this attraction in your Kashmir tour itinerary.

Best Time To Visit : May – September Things to do : Trek How To Reach: Take a train till Jammu railway station and then hire a cab to Amarnath. Places To Stay: Hotel Barzman, Hotel Akbar Sonamarg, Sheen Woods Resort, The Pahalgam Pines

25. Sanasar – Ideal For Adventure Junkies

Image Credit: Extremehimalayan for Wikipedia Commons

Looking for an offbeat destination in Kashmir? Have you heard of Sanasar? No? Well, that is not a shock to us because this place is one of the hidden gems of Kashmir. It is a haven for adventure enthusiasts as this place offers many thrilling activities to indulge in like rock climbing, trekking, paragliding, and abseiling. The name, Sanasar, has been derived from the two local lakes and a visit to this place will take make you acquainted with the calmer side of Kashmir.

Best Time To Visit: April – June Things to do : Trekking, camping, and sightseeing

• By Air: Take a flight till Jammu airport and then hire a cab till Sanasar.
• By Train : Take a train till Jammu railway station and then take a cab till Sanasar.

Suggested Read: Autumn  In Jammu & Kashmir

26. Dachigam National Park – Flora & Fauna

Image Credit: Jyoti Chaurasia for Wikipedia Commons

Kashmir not only has an abundance of beauty but also has abundant flora and fauna. Dachigam National Park is where you will find indigneous species of plants and animals. Even the landscapes of this place are truly mesmerizing. It is only 22 km from Srinagar and can be reached easily by taking a private taxi. Its natural beauty makes it one of the most-visited Kashmir tourist places.

Best Time To Visit: May-June and September-October is the Best Time To Visit: the park. Things To Do: Wildlife tour Places To Stay:  Hotel Golden Bees, Northland Residency, Gulab Resort, Dilaram Guest House

27. Khilanmarg – Paradise For Skiing

Image Credit: Arup1981 for Wikipedia Commons

Only those who have visited Khilanmarg will agree that it is the most beautiful place in Kashmir. The valley put you in a trance because of its alluring landscapes and breathtaking panoramas. It is 6 km ahead of Gulmarg and only a few people dare to visit this place. There may not be much to do here but those who enjoy nature will love visiting this place. In summers, the aromatic flowers are the major attraction while skiing in winters lures tourists to this place.

Best Time To Visit: Spring and winter season Things To Do: Skiing in winter, hiking, nature walk Places To Stay: SHAW RESORT 11, Pine View Resort, Heevan Retreat Gulmarg, Shaw Inn

Suggested Read: 23 Things To Do In Kashmir 

28. Baltal – For Picturesque Landscapes

Image Credit: Vikrantdhiman189381 for Wikipedia Commons

Baltal is one of the most famous places in Kashmir and it owes its popularity to its picturesque environment. It is only 14 km away from Amarnath caves and offers a base for the devotees to spend a night. The staggering beauty of this valley makes it one of the most amazing Kashmir tourist places. You must visit this place as it is located at a convenient location from Srinagar and Pahalgam.

Best Time To Visit: May-September Things To Do: Nature sightseeing, photography Places To Stay:  Hotel Barzman, Hotel Akbar Sonamarg , Sheen Woods Resort

29. Bhaderwah – For Stunning Vistas

Image Credit: Celebindiaworld for Wikimedia Commons

Located in Doda district of Jammu & Kashmir, Bhaderwah is another one of the Kashmir tourist places that you must visit on your vacation. A scenic drive to this place is all you need to make your experience in Kashmir most memorable one. The rich flora fauna of this place will leave you invigorated and gratifying. This place is also famous for a huge variety of snakes. There is no doubt in the fact that it is the most beautiful place in Kashmir that you every nature lover must explore.

Best Time To Visit: May-June Things To Do: Trekking, skiing, Mela Patt How To Reach: Jammu is the nearest airport, and you can hire a cab till Bhaderwah. Places To Stay:  Hotel Doda Darbar, MK HOLIDAY INN BHADERWAH, Sarain Darbar Lodge

Suggested Read: 15 Things To Do In Jammu 

30. Kishtwar National Park 

Image Credit: Eatcha for Wikipedia Commons

If you love nature and animals, then you should definitely add Kishtwar National Park to enjoy Kashmir sightseeing. There, you will find musk deer, and Himalayan black and brown bears. The national park is located on a plateau above Chenab River and just below the Nagin Sheer Glacier. The lush greenery and landscapes will leave you reinvigorated. It is spread over a whopping area of 400 sqkm where you will find a variety of flora and fauna. It is one of the famous places in Jammu and Kashmir known for wildlife and nature.

Best Time To Visit: May-June, September-October Things To Do: Wildlife safari

Further Read: 10 Kashmir Travel Tips

Now, that you’ve your list ready, all you need only to book your trip to Kashmir , pack your bags and Get, Set go! But before you do, have a look at frequently asked questions about places to visit in Kashmir. Make sure that you are carrying your camera as you will get to witness some of the most beautiful landscapes.

For our editorial codes of conduct and copyright disclaimer, please click here .

Frequently Asked Questions About Places To Visit In Kashmir

Which is the most beautiful place in Kashmir?

The list of beautiful places to visit in Kashmir is quite long which includes Srinagar, Pahalgam, Sonamarg, Pangong Lake, Nubra Valley, Drass, Leh, and Zanskar. These places are quite famous and boast nature’s finest beauty.

Which are the main tourist attractions in the Kashmir region?

Kashmir is a land of numerous valleys which includes Chenab valley, Sindh Valley, Lidder Valley. And alongside there are many attractions which fascinate the tourists. Some of the famous ones are Srinagar, Mughal Gardens, Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Patnitop, and Ladakh.

What are the best things to buy in Kashmir?

There are many things to buy in Kashmir as a souvenir which includes Walnut wood items, Papier Mache artefacts, Kashmir Pashminas, Kashmiri tea, Copperware, Spices. These are handcrafted by the locals and make some of the great items to buy.

What is the best time to visit Kashmir?

To witness the Tulip gardens, visit Kashmir during the month of April or otherwise the time between March to October is the best to enjoy the scenic views of the valley and along with exploring the alpine meadows.

What are the best places to visit in Kashmir for a honeymoon?

Srinagar, Pahalgam, and Gulmarg are some of the top honeymoon destinations in Kashmir. The valleys here are beautified with lakes and colourful flowers, especially in Mughal Garden.

What are places to visit in Kashmir in May?

When it comes to Kashmir sightseeing destinations in May, we’d suggest Srinagar, Leh, Gulmarg, and Pahalgam be in your list!

Which are the best restaurants in Kashmir?

Kashmir is home to restaurants that serve delicious local delicacies and some of the best ones are listed below! 1. Alchi Kitchen 2. Stream Restaurant 3. Dana Pani

Which are the most famous hotels in Kashmir?

For a comfortable staycation, you can find a lot of hotels in Kashmir. Here is the list of the best ones where you can stay! 1. Hotel Heevan 2. Hotel Kashmir Inn 3. Welcome Hotel 4. Old Likkir

What activities can we do in Kashmir?

Kashmir is a dynamic destination with a fine blend of adventure and serenity that offers hundreds of activities that can help you experience the best of both worlds. Go exploring the state on bike rides, paragliding, hiking, and trekking escapades and for some tranquil moments, enjoy boathouse trips in Dal Lake before heading for the Nubra Valley where you can enjoy more things to do.

What is the famous food of Kashmir?

Kashmir is a heaven for some of the most scrumptious delicacies that India has to offer. Don’t forget to try Aab Gosh, Goshtaba, Lyader Tschaman, Runwagan Tschaman, and more authentic Kashmiri dishes.

People Also Read:

Places To Visit In Kollam Places To Visit In Pondicherry Places To Visit In Udupi

Recent Posts

8 Charming Villages In Mexico For An Idyllic Scenic Retreat

Explore 10 Villages In Georgia For Adrenaline-Filled Experiences

8 Picturesque Villages In Poland That Await Your Exploration

10 Villages In Italy You Must Add To Your Bucket List

11 Villages In France: Perfect For Adventure Seekers

10 Picturesque Villages In Switzerland Loaded With Natural Charm

Trending Blogs

20 Mysterious Places In India To Visit In 2023 More Bizarre Than The Bermuda Triangle

10 Scariest Roads In India That Are A Driver’s Nightmare

101 Places To Visit In India Before You Turn 30 in 2024

35 Exotic Places To Visit In December In India 2024 To Enjoy A Surreal Vacation

60 Best Honeymoon Destinations In India In 2024

95 Best Honeymoon Destinations In The World In 2023 For A Romantic Escape!

Best Places To Visit In India By Month

Best places to visit outside india by month.

• TravelTriangle
• Kashmir »
• Tour Packages
• Honeymoon Packages
• Family Packages
• Budget Tour Packages
• Luxury Tour Packages
• Adventure Tour Packages
• Group Tour Packages
• Kerala Tour Packages
• Goa Tour Packages
• Andaman Tour Packages
• Sikkim Tour Packages
• Himachal Tour Packages
• Uttarakhand Tour Packages
• Rajasthan Tour Packages
• Tour Packages From Delhi
• Tour Packages From Mumbai
• Tour Packages From Bangalore
• Tour Packages From Chennai
• Tour Packages From Kolkata
• Tour Packages From Hyderabad
• Tour Packages From Ahmedabad
• Kerala Tourism
• Goa Tourism
• Sikkim Tourism
• Andaman Tourism
• Himachal Tourism
• Uttarakhand Tourism
• Rajasthan Tourism
• Hotels in Kerala
• Hotels in Goa
• Hotels in Sikkim
• Hotels in Andaman
• Hotels in Himachal
• Hotels in Uttarakhand
• Hotels in Rajasthan

ETV Bharat   /   state

'Kashmir is heaven and we felt that way': J&K saw record tourist arrivals in 2023

By ETV Bharat English Team

Published : Dec 23, 2023, 8:44 PM IST

Updated : Dec 23, 2023, 9:03 PM IST

J&K has registered a record over 2 crore tourist arrivals this year with officials crediting the G20 events held in the valley.

Srinagar: The year 2023 proved to be a particularly good year for the tourism industry in Jammu and Kashmir with a record arrival of over 2 crore tourists.

"So, 2023 has been one of the most phenomenal years in terms of tourism in Jammu and Kashmir. By the 7th of December this year, we already crossed the figure of 2 crore (tourist arrivals). Last year, we reached 1.88 crore. This year, we have breached that figure and I am expecting by 31st December, that figure will be crossed in a big way," Secretary Tourism Syed Abid said.

According to the J&K tourism department, the Union Territory witnessed a surge in foreign tourist arrivals in 2023. A large part of those arrivals was due to several G20 events being hosted across the erstwhile state, including in Srinagar.

"In terms of foreign tourist arrivals, this is a very positive trend after many decades. It has provided a massive fillip to the local economy. Now you know that tourism contributes somewhere around 7.3 percent of our GSDP, in the economy of Jammu and Kashmir. And close to around 2.2 million jobs directly and indirectly," Abid said.

According to the Tourism Department, the promotion of rural, remote, and relatively lesser-known tourist destinations also contributed to the tourist boom in 2023. "One of the most important factors that the government has done is that border tourism is being promoted in a big way. So, we have a long LoC and you are aware that a lot of people are now venturing into these areas with the active support of the army and the tourism department. And one of the core focus areas has also been to provide tourists with a pleasurable experience. We have a lot of pilgrim tourism this year. We have a lot of experience in rural tourism," he said.

Officials in the Tourism Department state that the government promoted as many as 75 offbeat destinations in the Union Territory, to mark 75 years of India's independence. "Some of these include, Bhaderwah, Doodhpathri, Yousmarg, Verinag, Lolab, Bangus, Basholi and other destinations across J&K, including Poonch, Rajouri, Doda, Kishtwar, Bhaderwah and so on," they said

Another reason for the visitor boom has been the warm hospitality tourists experience in Kashmir. Almost universally, visitors to the Union Territory express the feeling of having enjoyed a unique and unforgettable experience during their visits. "It's truly heaven. I have been to Switzerland. To be frank, it is comparable and you can truly say Kashmir is like Switzerland for India, definitely," said Asif Mehdi, a tourist from Mumbai.

Sneha, another tourist from Mumbai said she loved being in Kashmir. "It is said that Kashmir is the heaven of India and we are in heaven. We felt that way. ," she said. Asked what places she visited, Sneha said: "Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Srinagar and Sonamarg. I enjoyed all the places but the best of all was Sonamarg.”

In addition to horticulture, the tourism industry forms the backbone of Jammu and Kashmir's economy according to industry experts. Farooq Kuthoo, a Travel Agent & Executive Committee Member, Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) said G20 sent a positive message across the globe.

"This year we've had a record number of tourists visiting the Valley, both within the country as well as abroad. We've had a good footfall of foreign tourists also. After the G20 summit, a strong and positive message was sent across the globe." Stakeholders express optimism about 2024 being another record-breaking year for the tourism sector in Jammu and Kashmir. (With PTI inputs)

Watch | Gulmarg clad in white: Fresh snowfall turns Kashmir ski resort into mesmerising winter wonderland Five soldiers killed in J&K terror ambush; Army launches massive search operation Bizarre! Kashmir man ordered not to open windows of his house, he kept them closed for 5 years until... Kashmir investment scam: Who is 'Daljeet Singh', the self-styled 'marketing officer' at 'Curative Survey Private Limited'

Quick Links / Policies

• PRIVACY POLICY
• CODE OF ETHICS
• TERMS & CONDITIONS

Please write to us, for media partnership and Ad-sales inquiries. Email: [email protected]

As Summers Simmer, Here's How You Can Protect Yourself From Heat Wave

With artificial intelligence, researchers find where greek philosopher plato was buried, explained: why indians are the least promiscuous of most people in the world, sins of omission: how caa plays a cruel joke on sri lankan tamil refugees.

Copyright © 2024 Ushodaya Enterprises Pvt. Ltd., All Rights Reserved.

• India Today
• Business Today
• Reader’s Digest
• Harper's Bazaar
• Brides Today
• Cosmopolitan
• Aaj Tak Campus
• India Today Hindi

Boom in Kashmir tourism, over 2 lakh tourists in Gulmarg during winters

Kashmir saw 1.2 lakh visitors arrive in february 2023 giving the industry’s stakeholders much-needed relief. it was reported that 2022 had been the best year for kashmir in terms of tourism..

Listen to Story

Kashmir has been experiencing a record-breaking year for tourism. It saw 1.2 lakh visitors arrive in February 2023, giving the industry’s stakeholders much-needed relief. The number of visitors visiting Kashmir in a single year reached a record 25 lakh last year, significantly more than the previous 40 years' average.

Director of Tourism, Kashmir, Fazl-ul-Haseeb told India Today that more than 1.2 lakh people travelled to Kashmir in February and 90 per cent of them visited the famous Gulmarg ski resort in Kashmir.

SRINAGAR TULIP GARDEN

“Since last year, there has been a good influx of tourists, and we are optimistic that this trend will continue in the months to come. We have planned a variety of events in March and April in an effort to attract tourists, including Tulip Festival in Asia's largest Tulip Garden in Srinagar ” he said.

To increase the number of visitors, Haseeb said that they were developing a number of strategies and getting ready for the approaching tourist season. Also, some more varieties of tulips and other flowers have been added in Srinagar Tulip Garden, making it a prominent attraction for tourists.

BOOST IN KASHMIR TOURISM

Meanwhile, Gulmarag is still snow-covered and is packed with tourists. Indian singer Shanker Mahadev along with his family visited Gulmarag on Sunday and said "Kashmir is heaven on earth and being it is a different experience for me"

A top official from the Tourism Department said that 2022 had been the best year for Kashmir in terms of tourism. “It has greatly boosted Kashmir’s economy. Winter reservations were good. This year’s travel season is expected to be busy,” he added.

With the abolition of Article 370 in August 2019 and the two years of travel restrictions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, the J&K administration focused on reviving tourism, which is now showing effective results.

India hosts G20 tourism meet in Kashmir under heavy security

It is the first diplomatic event in the disputed region since New Delhi revoked its limited autonomy and took direct control in 2019.

A Group of 20 (G20) tourism meeting is being held in Indian-administered Kashmir amid high security, with China and Pakistan condemning holding the event in the disputed region.

The Himalayan territory of Kashmir is the cause of a dispute between India and Pakistan since their independence 75 years ago. The two nuclear powers – who claim it in entirety but rule over parts of it – have fought two of their three full-scale wars over the territory.

Keep reading

Is india projecting ‘normalcy’ in kashmir by holding g20 meeting, china to boycott g20 meeting hosted by india in kashmir, india hosting g20 meet in srinagar an ‘irresponsible move’, india’s g20 meeting ends without consensus on russia-ukraine war.

The Indian portion of Kashmir, the country’s only Muslim-majority region, has been roiled for decades by an armed rebellion seeking independence or a merger with Pakistan, with tens of thousands of civilians, soldiers and Kashmiri rebels killed in the conflict.

Police said last week that security had been beefed up “to avoid any chance of terrorist attack during the G20” meeting, the first diplomatic event in the disputed region since New Delhi revoked its limited autonomy and took direct control in 2019.

The three-day gathering starting Monday is being held at a sprawling, well-guarded venue on the shores of Dal Lake in the region’s main city of Srinagar.

Roads leading to the location have been black-topped for the occasion, and electricity poles lit up in the colours of India’s national flag to show what officials say is “normalcy and peace returning” to the region.

On Monday, Srinagar appeared calm. Most of the security checkpoints were removed or camouflaged with cubicle-like security posts made of G20 signages behind which security officials stood.

Officials said hundreds of officers were specially trained for what they call “invisible policing” for the event.

‘Normalcy of a graveyard’

But authorities closed the main road leading to the convention centre for civilian traffic and shut many schools in the city.

Mondays’ measures contrasted starkly to the security imposed in the days before the event. A massive security cordon was placed around the venue on the shores of Dal Lake with elite naval commandos patrolling in rubber boats in the water.

India has been promoting tourism in its portion of Kashmir and more than a million of its citizens visited last year.

Indian authorities hope the G20 meeting will show the 2019 changes brought “peace and prosperity” to the region. The delegates will discuss topics such as green tourism and destination management. Side events on ecotourism and role of films in promoting tourist destinations have also been scheduled.

“We have the making of a unique meeting,” India’s chief coordinator for the G20, Harshvardhan Shringla, told reporters on Sunday.

He said the event will have the highest representation of foreign delegates in comparison to previous tourism meetings India held in the states of West Bengal and Gujarat earlier this year.

But Dr Sheikh Showkat Hussain, a political analyst based in the region, told Al Jazeera that for the people of Kashmir, the G20 meeting “would have meant something had there been a normal situation over here”.

“Now, normalcy does not mean normalcy of a graveyard where you have restrictions on media, restrictions on people and people languishing in jails,” he said. “And at the same time you want to project to the world that everything is normal.”

China to boycott

No Chinese delegates will be attending the event.

India and its northern neighbour are locked in a military standoff along their mostly un-demarcated border in the Ladakh region.

Beijing also claims the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh in full as part of its Tibet province, and it considers Kashmir a disputed territory.

“China firmly opposes holding any form of G20 meeting in disputed territory and will not attend such meetings,” foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told reporters on Friday.

Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia are reportedly also unlikely to join, according to a report by the AFP news agency.

India holds the G20 presidency for 2023 and has planned more than 100 meetings across the country.

China has already stayed away from events in Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh.

Pakistan, a non-G20 member that controls a smaller part of Kashmir, said holding the tourism meeting in the territory violated international law , the United Nations Security Council resolutions and bilateral agreements.

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said last week that India was displaying its “arrogance to the world” and that “it shows their pettiness”, triggering a sharp retort from New Delhi.

India accuses Pakistan of training and supporting armed rebels in Kashmir, which Islamabad denies.

Since India’s 2019 constitutional changes, the rebellion in Kashmir has largely been crushed, although young men continue to join it.

But dissent has been criminalised, media freedoms curbed and public protests limited in what critics say is a drastic curtailment of civil liberties by India.

Last week, UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues, Fernand de Varennes, said New Delhi was seeking to use the G20 meeting to “portray an international seal of approval” on a situation that “should be decried and condemned”. India rejected those comments.

Residents have chafed under the stepped-up security measures, hundreds have been detained in police stations and thousands, including shopkeepers, have received calls from officials warning them against any “signs of protest or trouble”.

Kashmir: Valley saw 2.5 lakh tourists in first two months of 2023

SRINAGAR: With a record over 2.5 lakh tourists visiting Kashmir in the first two months of this year, the Director of Tourism Kashmir is hopeful that Kashmir will witness a record bumper tourism season this year as they are expecting two to three times more tourist inflow to the Valley this year as compared to the last year.

Director of Tourism Kashmir Faz Lul Haseeb said that the overall tourism scene in Kashmir is good and a record over 2.5 lakh tourists visited the Valley in the first two months. He said the ski-tourist resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir was packed while hotels in south Kashmir’s Pahalgam resort, which used to be empty during winter, witnessed 70-80 per cent occupancy in the winter.

Haseeb said that all the tourism stakeholders in the Valley are upbeat about the tourist inflow and it is expected that tourist footfall will pick up with the onset of spring. He said if all goes well, the tourist footfall will be better than the last year. “Our effort is going in this direction and we are expecting a bumper tourist season this year. In fact, we are expecting two to three times more tourist inflow to the Valley this year as compared to last year,” he added. An all-time high of over 2.7 million tourists including 3.6 lakh Amarnath yatris visited Kashmir last year.

With the onset of spring, the tourism department plans to hold spring festivals at the tourist resort of Yousmarg in central Kashmir, Badamwaer in Srinagar, and many other places in the Valley. Asia’s largest Tulip garden in Srinagar spread over 30 hectares of land will be thrown open to the public by the end of this month. The flower carpet of 15 lakh tulips of different varieties of colours and fragrances unique to Kashmir will be attracting tourists. 

Director Tourism said they have already identified 75 offbeat tourist destinations in the Valley and each of these offbeat destinations is open.  “We are trying to ensure basic infrastructure through homestays and tented colonies at these places until hotels are constructed there.”

“We offer some of the best locations and best activities that tourists can indulge in. We want to keep tourists engaged at recreational sites. We are starting a weekly rock climbing event and it has been an instant hit. We will also be starting white water rafting and paragliding to add more attraction to the travellers visiting Valley,” he said. According to Haseeb, Kashmir has a lot of potential, and offers a lot to tourists, including rock climbing, hiking, camping, angling, trekking, exploration and skiing (in winter). “It has everything and it is a beautiful and picturesque place,” he added.

Asked whether foreign tourists are visiting Kashmir, he said, “Yes, of course. There were a significant number of arrivals of foreign tourists this year and last year too. We hope it will pick up further.” The tourism department is planning to tap the South East Asian and European markets by holding tourism roadshows there to sell Kashmir as a “safe and secure tourism destination.” The Bollywood filmmakers, Haseeb said, are also returning to Kashmir.

Blooming Season

• Over 2.5 lakh tourists visited the Valley between January and February this year
• Hotels in south Kashmir’s Pahalgam and Gulmarg’s ski resorts were 70-80 per cent full during the winter
• More than 2.7 million tourists, including 3.6 lakh Amarnath yatris had visited Kashmir last year
• In the Valley, 75 offbeat tourist destinations have already been identified by the tourism department
• Several Bollywood filmmakers are returning to Kashmir
• The largest Tulip garden in Asia will be opened this later month in Srinagar  

Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp  

Download the TNIE app to stay with us and follow the latest

Related Stories

India showcases scenic Kashmir to G20 countries, hoping to woo foreign tourists

• Medium Text

Sign up here.

Reporting by Fayaz Bukhari in SRINAGAR; Writing by YP Rajesh; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. New Tab , opens new tab

India's southern state of Karnataka will investigate a lawmaker whose party is a key ally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), on suspicion of sexual harassment, the state's chief minister has said.

World Chevron

Paris police clear Gaza protesters at Sorbonne university

Police moved in to clear dozens of protesters who had set up tents in a courtyard at the Sorbonne University in Paris on Monday to protest against the war in Gaza, students there said.

Want to save time & money on your next India trip?

Check out the list of travel hacks learned after +4 years in India

Is Kashmir Safe for Tourists? A US Traveler’s Experience

Kashmir is known for its snow-capped peaks surrounding the peaceful Dal Lake. Unfortunately, it’s also been at the center of disputes between India and Pakistan and has sometimes been unsafe for tourists. 

As someone who has traveled extensively through India for over four years, immersing myself in more than ten diverse states, I always wanted to go to Kashmir but kept putting it off until it was safer. 

That is, until I decided to spend a month there in 2023, and I’m glad I did.

So, Is Kashmir safe for tourists? Kashmir is safe for tourists in 2023. A record number of 2.5 million tourists visited in 2022, and numbers are increasing in 2023. Kashmir was the home of the G20 tourism conference. And while it’s still one of the most militarized zones in the world, if you practice common sense, you’ll have a safe trip to Kashmir. 

Read through to the end, though, so you’ll learn from my experiences and can plan a safe trip. 

I was fortunate to spend time in Srinagar, spend the night on a luxury houseboat in Nigeen Lake, eat traditional Kashmiri foods, and head through the mountains to beautiful villages like Sonamarg. 

In this article, you’ll learn:

• Current situation in Kashmir
• History of the Kashmir conflict
• Implications of lifting Article 370
• My experiences in Kashmir
• Why the US State Department advises caution when visiting Kashmir
• Tips on safe travel in Kashmir

Let’s dive into covering how to stay safe while traveling Kashmir! 

Planning a trip to India at some point? Check out my free ebook to help you save time and money, and avoid headaches. After +4 years in India, I’ve made plenty of mistakes, and this guide shares what I’ve learned so you can have a smoother trip.

Is Kashmir Safe for Tourists in 2023?

Kashmir is generally considered to be a safe destination for tourists. The number of tourists visiting Kashmir has increased recently, with a record year of tourism in 2022. 

There have been no major safety incidents involving tourists. However, there is always the potential for violence in Kashmir, and travelers should be aware of the risks before visiting.

The security situation in Kashmir can fluctuate, so it is important to check the latest travel advisories before traveling. 

• The US State Department currently has a Level 2 travel advisory for Kashmir, meaning travelers should exercise increased caution. 
• The UK Foreign Office also has a Level 2 travel advisory for Kashmir, meaning travelers should be aware of the risks of terrorism and civil unrest.

Travelers to Kashmir should take the following precautions to stay safe:

• Stay informed about the latest security situation.
• Avoid traveling to remote areas.
• Be aware of your surroundings and take precautions against petty theft.
• Travel with a reputable tour operator.
• Be respectful of local customs and traditions.

By following these precautions, travelers can help to ensure a safe and enjoyable trip to Kashmir.

It’s worth noting that the local Kashmiri people distinguish between politics and tourism. They pride themselves on their famous hospitality and despite their political opinions, they remain warm and welcoming to tourists. Many of them rely on tourism for their livelihood and are eager to share the beauty and culture of their homeland with outsiders.

When’s The Best Time To Visit Kashmir? 

The best time to visit Kashmir is from May to August, when the weather is pleasant and the days are long. However, it is also important to be aware of the monsoon season June through September, which can bring heavy rains and landslides.

Read more: The Best Times To Visit India’s Popular Destinations

My Experiences Traveling in Kashmir

I visited Kashmir in June, and I’ll quickly cover it, so you can get a sense for what your trip could be like. Then I’ll share some tips and move into a brief history of the conflict. 

Flying Into Srinagar

I flew to Srinagar’s airport from Delhi, and it’s an inexpensive, easy flight. The airport is small so it’s easy to find your way. But finding transportation into the city is more challenging. 

You can head to the parking lot and ask for a bus. This is an inexpensive way to get into the city. You will spend about 300 to 500 INR, depending on how many people are in your party. I went with a shared cab since a private cab costs 800 INR. 

There’s no Uber or taxi apps, so you’re reliant on the “taxi mafi.” But they’re nice enough guys. 

Who Are The Kasmir Tourist Police? 

The tourist police are a group of citizens who want to help tourists have a good experience. Kashmir understands that the armed military posted around the city is intimidating, so these folks are there to help.

But they weirded me out. 

I met one guy in the parking lot as I was looking for a bus, and I thought he was trying to scam me. He was asking me all sorts of personal questions and taking down my info, and had no sense that this could be invasive. 

Another man tried to do the same. I barely answered them and did my usual bit, where I recorded them on video. I say something nice enough but scammers don’t like it so you can usually tell if someone is legit. 

I asked to see their card, and they showed it to me and left me alone after I asked. 

Staying in Srinagar

Srinagar is generally more expensive since it’s so touristy, but I recommend finding guesthouses near Boulevard on Dal Lake. Or, if you want a more peaceful trip, head to Nigeen Lake. 

I stayed near Boulevard and had a guesthouse for less than $20 a night. The hosts were great, and the room had heating, which was necessary even in summer. 

There were plenty of restaurants and things to do. In this area, the wifi was solid. 

I felt safe in the area, and the people I met were friendly. There were police stations dotted about with barbed wire around the outside, but nothing much was happening. 

Armed military members are stationed around Dal Lake, but they never spoke to me, and I saw nothing unsafe. 

Staying on a Houseboat on Nigeen Lake

Most tourists stay on a houseboat on Dal Lake, but Nigeen Lake is smaller and more peaceful. I spent a night here, and my boat had another fun family on it. 

The family on my boat had taken their honeymoon here and were now revisiting a special place for them. The wife said it’s much safer now than when they came a handful of years ago. 

She said it’s one of her favorite places in the world, and that’s something others have said as I’ve traveled India. 

Visiting Sonamarg

The snowcapped mountains and quaint villages are some of the best destinations in Kashmir, and Sonamarg is at the top of the list. 

I hired a taxi from a local agent, and while it was costly, it was worth the trip. It’s beautiful and the village of Sonamarg is safe. 

Many motorcyclists were making the trip through the mountains and stopping off here for lunch. 

You can ride a horse up the mountain for even better views. Since it was early summer it was a bit muddy, but aside from that a peaceful place. 

Read more: Is India Safe for Foreigners and Worth Visiting?

Tips for Having A Safe Kashmir Trip

Traveling through Kashmir was an enriching experience for me, but as with any destination, it’s crucial to prioritize safety. Here are some guidelines and practices I’ve learned during my month-long journey:

• Avoid Large Gatherings: Steer clear of any substantial crowds or gatherings which can escalate or become targets.
• Stay Away from Protests: While the locals have their reasons for dissent, as a tourist, it’s wise to avoid getting involved or even being a spectator at any protest or rally.
• Be Cautious with Sensitive Topics: Kashmir has a complex socio-political history. While many locals are open to sharing their perspectives, avoid initiating or engaging in discussions that could be seen as sensitive or controversial.
• Stick to Popular Tourist Spots: Especially if you’re traveling solo or are unfamiliar with the area, it’s best to stay in well-trodden paths and popular destinations.
• Respect the Local Culture: Kashmir is predominantly Islamic. Dress modestly, be aware of the prayer timings, and be respectful during the holy month of Ramadan.
• Get a Kashmiri SIM Card: The SIM cards here are different than in Delhi, so if you have one you’ll need a new one. It’s wise to get a local SIM card to ensure you’re always reachable and can contact someone in emergencies.
• Always Inform Someone: Whether it’s your hotel manager, a trusted local, or someone back home, ensure someone is aware of your day’s plans.
• Hire Registered Tour Guides: If you’re seeking guidance or planning to explore deeper parts of Kashmir, always opt for registered or recommended tour guides.
• Keep Emergency Numbers Handy: Have a list of local emergency contacts, including your country’s embassy or consulate, if they have a presence nearby.
• Trust Your Instincts: Just as I’d advise in any other place if something doesn’t feel right, trust your gut and prioritize your safety.

Being vigilant and respecting local customs and advice was invaluable in ensuring my Kashmir trip was enlightening and safe. Remember, the goal is to immerse oneself in the culture and beauty of the region without compromising on security.

Read more: Tourist Dangers in India

What’s the Brief History of the Kashmir Conflict?

Kashmir, often referred to as “Paradise on Earth,” has, unfortunately, been shadowed by a prolonged history of conflict. Before I embarked on my journey to this stunning region, I delved into the origins of its tumultuous past. 

The conflict primarily stems from territorial claims between India and Pakistan, both administering parts of the region but claiming it in full.

Post-independence in 1947, India and Pakistan have fought multiple wars over Kashmir. Over the years, this has led to instances of militancy, curfews, and unrest. 

The situation reached another turning point in 2019 with the revocation of Article 370 by the Indian government, which stripped Kashmir of its special status. This move was met with support and dissent, leading to intensified sentiments and concerns about the region’s safety for tourists.

Read more: Books To Read Before Traveling India

Why Does The US State Department Advise Caution In Kashmir?

Traveling to over 10 states in India and being on the road for over four years had made me somewhat complacent with checking travel advisories. 

However, before heading to Kashmir, I did what any prudent American traveler would do — check the US State Department’s advice on the region . 

Here’s an exploration of why the department has historically advised caution regarding Kashmir.

1. Historical Unrest: Kashmir has a tumultuous history marked by disputes between India and Pakistan. This has led to multiple wars and continual skirmishes along the border. The long-standing unrest can sometimes result in spontaneous demonstrations and disruptions that could affect travelers.

2. Terrorism and Civil Disturbance: The region has witnessed incidents of terrorism over the years, with certain militant groups operating from within and outside its borders. While these groups mainly target local security forces, there’s always a risk of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

3. Sensitive Political Climate: Due to its unique political history and significant changes like the revocation of Article 370, the political atmosphere in Kashmir can be quite sensitive. This can lead to unforeseen shutdowns or curfews, especially after significant political events or decisions.

4. Challenging Geographical Terrain: Apart from the political situation, Kashmir’s geography comes with its own set of challenges. The region is prone to landslides, especially during the monsoon season, making certain areas inaccessible.

5. Sporadic Communications Blackouts: In times of heightened tensions, the Indian government has previously imposed communication blackouts in the region, cutting off internet, mobile networks, and landline connections. This can be especially challenging for tourists trying to stay connected or updated.

6. Precaution is Better Than Cure: The US State Department’s primary responsibility is the safety and security of its citizens abroad. By nature, their advisories tend to be conservative, erring on the side of caution. Even if the on-ground situation may seem calm, the unpredictability of the region necessitates a more cautious approach.

While the US State Department’s advisory might paint a cautionary tale, my experience in Kashmir was predominantly positive, with locals being incredibly welcoming and eager to share their stories. 

However, it’s always wise for travelers to be aware of official advisories, remain vigilant, and make informed decisions based on a mix of sources and personal judgment.

Read more: Indian vs American Democracy – What Are The Differences?

Is It Ethical to Visit Kashmir?

Before I embarked on my journey to Kashmir, a question that echoed in my mind was about the ethics of visiting a region that has seen so much political and social turmoil. The stunning vistas, serene lakes, and towering mountains are tempting, but it’s essential to understand the bigger picture.

Tourism as an Economic Lifeline

Tourism plays a significant role in Kashmir’s economy. Approximately 15% of people in the region are directly or indirectly engaged in the tourism sector, which was once the backbone of Kashmir’s financial structure. 

In recent years, the annual earnings from tourism exceeded $1.5 billion, a testament to the dependency of many locals on this industry.

The Dual-Edged Sword of Tourism

While tourism brings in much-needed revenue, the heavy footfall of tourists can sometimes strain the region’s delicate ecological balance. However, responsible tourism, where visitors respect local customs, support local businesses and reduce environmental impact, can ensure that the region benefits without incurring lasting harm.

Voices from the Ground

During my month-long stay, I had the privilege of staying with a local Airbnb host, on the brink of expanding his business to build a hostel. At times, over steaming cups of Kahwa (Kashmiri tea), we would discuss his dreams and the importance of tourism for him and many others. 

The host family was incredibly warm and welcoming, serving me delicious Kashmiri meals as I tapped away on my laptop. Their children would play in the yard, often waving and shouting gleeful hellos as I ventured out. 

They, and countless other families, depended on travelers like me not just for income but for the cultural exchange and understanding it brought.

The Ethical Standpoint

Visiting Kashmir, in my opinion, is not only ethical but also vital. Boycotting travel to the region means cutting off a primary revenue stream for many families, affecting their livelihoods. However, as tourists, we must be mindful, respect local sentiments, and ensure our travel choices bring more good than harm.

In conclusion, while being aware of the socio-political implications of our travel choices is essential, visiting Kashmir can be a mutually beneficial experience. By supporting local enterprises and fostering understanding through genuine interactions, we can play a small part in Kashmir’s long journey to stability and prosperity.

Read more: Common Travel Mistakes for India

Final Thoughts: Is Kashmir Safe for Tourists?

As someone who’s traveled extensively across India for over four years, I’ve been fortunate to witness this vast country’s diverse tapestry of cultures, landscapes, and experiences. 

Kashmir, with its ethereal beauty and warm locals, remains a highlight. But the pressing question remains, especially for those considering a trip: Is Kashmir safe for tourists?

Kashmir is safe to travel to in 2023 and more and more tourists are visiting. 

To ensure a safe trip:

– Stay updated with recent developments through reliable sources.

– Avoid politically charged gatherings or discussions.

– Stick to popular destinations and respect the local culture.

– Arm yourself with local contacts and emergency numbers.

The enchanting allure of Nigeen Lake, the charm of local hosts, the unforgettable taste of Kashmiri cuisine, and the myriad of experiences waiting to be discovered make Kashmir a destination worth considering. 

By being informed, respectful, and alert, you can unlock a beautiful chapter in your travel diary. Here’s to safe travels and unforgettable memories in Kashmir!

• Essential Items for Traveling India
• 6 Weeks in India? Don’t Miss These Destinations!
• Is Alcohol Allowed in Kashmir?

Benjamin Jenks

Traveler, Filmmaker, and Lover of India. I've been living, writing and sharing what I've learned about traveling in India since 2018. Learn more about me here or Youtube .

Recent Posts

4 Ways To Get A Local SIM Card in India for Tourists

Using a local SIM card in India can cost $3 to $7 a month and save you hundreds of dollars.  However, it’s more difficult to get one in 2024, and they don’t work for every type of foreign...

13 Reasons To Not Visit India: Truths Every Traveler Should Know

There are many reasons to visit India. From the colorful historical traditions, spiritual retreats, and healthy yoga courses, India is a dream destination for many.  I’ve personally...

• Family of eight rescued after house in Bujthalan, Boniyar Uri
• KU postpones all examinations scheduled tomorrow
• Landslides blocks Jammu-Srinagar National Highway
• Flash floods leads to temporarily closure of Kupwara-Sopore highway
• Inclement Weather: Srinagar admin issues advisory 
• Elderly woman murdered in Akhnoor
• Teen dies in road accident in Doda
• Drug peddler held in Baramulla
• 3 persons arrested for firing incident in Miran Sahib
• CITY & TOWNS
• ON HERITAGE
• CREATIVE BEATS
• Photo Gallery
• February 2024
• January 2024
• December 2023
• November 2023
• October 2023
• September 2023
• August 2023
• February 2023
• January 2023
• December 2022
• November 2022
• October 2022
• September 2022
• August 2022
• February 2022
• January 2022
• December 2021
• November 2021
• October 2021
• September 2021
• August 2021
• February 2021
• January 2021
• December 2020
• November 2020
• October 2020
• September 2020
• August 2020
• February 2020
• January 2020
• August 2019
• February 2019
• January 2019
• December 2018
• November 2018
• October 2018
• September 2018
• August 2018
• February 2018

Jammu and Kashmir Witnesses Record-Breaking Tourism Surge in 2023

In a historic turn of events, Jammu and Kashmir, the crown jewel of India’s tourism landscape, experienced an unprecedented influx of visitors in 2023. Surpassing all previous records since independence, more than 2.11 crore tourists flocked to the region, marking a significant milestone in its tourism trajectory.

The surge in tourist arrivals has been attributed to a confluence of factors, chief among them being the abrogation of Article 370. This bold move has not only instilled a sense of security and stability but has also opened doors for the region to showcase its breathtaking beauty and cultural richness to the world.

One pivotal catalyst in this tourism boom has been the hosting of G-20 meetings on Indian soil. These global gatherings not only bolstered India’s stature on the world stage but also served as a catalyst for tourism promotion. The G-20 Tourism Working Group meeting, held in the picturesque city of Srinagar in May, garnered special recognition for its role in attracting a substantial number of foreign tourists to the Kashmir valley.

The statistics speak volumes about the burgeoning tourism sector in India, with a remarkable 155% increase in overall tourist arrivals in 2023 compared to the preceding years of 2021 and 2022. This exponential growth underscores the immense potential and allure of the Indian subcontinent as a prime tourist destination.

Strategic initiatives implemented by tourism officials in Jammu and Kashmir have played a pivotal role in harnessing this newfound momentum. From exploring offbeat destinations to reviving film and border tourism, and promoting homestays, these efforts have added a layer of depth and diversity to the tourist experience in the region.

Religious pilgrimages have also contributed significantly to the tourism surge, with the holy cave shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi witnessing the arrival of at least 95 lakh pilgrims this year, the highest in the past decade. Similarly, the annual AmarnathYatra concluded with around 4.5 lakh devotees offering prayers at the cave shrine in the South Kashmir Himalayas, further underscoring the region’s spiritual significance and appeal.

As Jammu and Kashmir continues to bask in the glow of this tourism renaissance, there is a palpable sense of optimism and anticipation for the future. With concerted efforts towards infrastructure development, cultural preservation, and sustainable tourism practices, the region is poised to emerge as a premier tourist destination on the global stage, beckoning travelers from far and wide to discover its myriad wonders and treasures.

Courtesy Directorate of Information and Public Relations, Kashmir

Kashmir Images is an English language daily newspaper published from Srinagar (J&K), India. The newspaper is one of the largest circulated English dailies of Kashmir and its hard copies reach every nook and corner of Kashmir Valley besides Jammu and Ladakh region.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

Notify me of new posts by email.

• Latest Updates

• Terms of Service

Search in Archive

Analysis: Modi Wants to Bring Tourists Back to Kashmir

Create an FP account to save articles to read later and in the FP mobile app.

ALREADY AN FP SUBSCRIBER? LOGIN

World Brief

• Editors’ Picks
• Africa Brief

China Brief

• Latin America Brief

South Asia Brief

Situation report.

• Flash Points
• War in Ukraine
• Israel and Hamas
• U.S.-China competition
• Biden's foreign policy
• Trade and economics
• Artificial intelligence
• Asia & the Pacific
• Middle East & Africa

How to Stave Off a Famine in Gaza

Fareed zakaria on an age of revolutions, ones and tooze, foreign policy live.

Spring 2024 Issue

Print Archive

FP Analytics

• In-depth Special Reports
• Issue Briefs
• Power Maps and Interactive Microsites
• FP Simulations & PeaceGames
• Graphics Database

From Resistance to Resilience

The atlantic & pacific forum, redefining multilateralism, principles of humanity under pressure, fp security forum.

By submitting your email, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use and to receive email correspondence from us. You may opt out at any time.

Your guide to the most important world stories of the day

Essential analysis of the stories shaping geopolitics on the continent

The latest news, analysis, and data from the country each week

Weekly update on what’s driving U.S. national security policy

Evening roundup with our editors’ favorite stories of the day

One-stop digest of politics, economics, and culture

Weekly update on developments in India and its neighbors

A curated selection of our very best long reads

Modi Wants to Bring Tourists Back to Kashmir

India’s government wants to turn the war-torn region into a renewed tourist hot spot..

Kashmir’s natural beauty is undeniable, as I learned on my first visit 25 summers ago. Glistening waterfalls spill from craggy, snowcapped Himalayan peaks. Stylish wooden shikaras glide soundlessly across the mirrored surface of Dal Lake, past diving kingfishers, soaring eagles, towering cliffs, and fields of wildflowers.

When the owner of the houseboat I stayed in gave me a hat to wear on the boat’s sunny rooftop, I noticed an inky scrawl on the inside. I lived in downtown New York City at the time and was stunned to find, looking closer, a note from fellow downtowner, rock god Lou Reed.

Yet Kashmir has been drawing famed visitors for eons. Four centuries ago, Mughal Emperor Jahangir fell so hard for Kashmir that he built a vast garden for his wife beside the Dal and named it Shalimar (“abode of love”). It’s a popular attraction today, as is a nearby seven-terraced garden and palace built by his son, Shah Jahan, shortly after gifting the world the Taj Mahal.

Hoping to highlight such glories, India has rolled out the red carpet for this week’s G-20 summit in Srinagar, the summer capital of India’s northernmost region. More than 100 delegates from dozens of countries are set to attend the tourism-focused conference, along with the guest of honor, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

India Projects Image of Normalcy From Kashmir

The region will host a G-20 meeting next month, but repression persists since New Delhi revoked its semi-autonomy in 2019.

How India’s New Bridge to Kashmir Divided a Region

Kashmiris fear an expensive infrastructure project will mean more military domination and demographic change.

Modi’s Marketing Muscle

The prime minister has turned India’s G-20 leadership into a nonstop advertisement for its growing clout.

This is Kashmir’s first turn in the international spotlight in nearly four decades, perhaps since India battled Australia in a one-day cricket match in late 1986. Kashmiri separatists started crossing into Pakistan for military training after the next year’s election, and by 1990 the insurgency had begun.

Some 60,000 people have since been killed in the insurgency as Kashmir has become one of the world’s most heavily militarized regions, host to around 600,000 Indian troops. The violence had largely subsided by the time Jammu and Kashmir lost its statehood in August 2019, when the Modi government revoked Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, which had granted the region a measure of autonomy.

New Delhi’s thinking behind the revocation—which also separated Jammu and Kashmir from Ladakh to the east, creating two union territories—was that the time had come to economically integrate Kashmir. “Give us five years and we will make it the most developed state in the country,” Home Minister Amit Shah said , announcing the move

Four years later, there are signs of progress. Militant recruitment has plummeted , and the regular street protests led by rock pelters are largely a thing of the past. The region welcomed  nearly 19 million visitors in 2022 and is on pace for more than 20 million this year.

Srinagar has lately been spiffed up with refurbished sidewalks and footpaths and new street lights displaying the Indian tricolor flag. Along the shores of Dal Lake, beside Shah Jahan’s garden, the conference center hosting the event has been given a $1 million makeover.

This dovetails with other significant developments. Massive billboards promote a $366 million smart-city project that seeks to transform streets, parking, pedestrian areas, and more. Last September, the Kashmir Valley enjoyed its first commercial film showings in more than 15 years with the opening of a three-screen multiplex (Indian security forces have commandeered most of Srinagar’s old cinema houses to use as barracks and detention centers). In addition, Dubai’s Emaar Group plans to build a $60 million shopping center in Srinagar.

A bit farther afield, the government is working on a $1 billion, nearly 9-mile tunnel on the Srinagar-Leh highway that will shorten the drive time to Ladakh and is expected to reduce accidents and boost tourism. And the world’s highest railway bridge, over the Chenab River some 50 miles south of Srinagar and set for completion later this year, will finally give Kashmir a reliable year-round link to the rest of India.

The rub, however, is that the conflict is far from over: Kashmir remains a disputed and deeply unstable flash point for three nuclear-armed powers—China, Pakistan, and India—and its people face severe restrictions of movement and expression imposed by New Delhi.

While its ally China claims part of Ladakh, Pakistan has claimed Kashmir as its own since the country’s founding, along with that of India, in the Partition of 1947. Those two states have fought three conflicts over the region, the most recent in 1999, and last month Pakistan denounced India’s G-20 meet in Srinagar as “irresponsible” and “self-serving.”

Separatist violence has spiked as the summit has neared. In late April, militants assaulted an Indian military convoy near the Line of Control—the de facto border dividing India- and Pakistan-controlled Kashmir—killing five soldiers. A Pakistan-backed terror group claimed that attack, and two weeks later likely mounted another that killed five more Indian troops.

Despite beefed up security and drone surveillance in preparation for the G-20, Kashmir saw four gun battles between militants and security forces in the first week of May. More recently, another gun fight broke out , and the Indian Army reported an infiltration attempt from Pakistan. Growing destabilization in neighboring Pakistan may be spilling over into Kashmir as the Pakistani military seeks to upset its rival’s plans.

As India’s only Muslim-majority region, Kashmir is largely free from the local anti-Muslim aggressions that are increasingly common in much of India under Modi’s Hindu nationalist government. But violence there does sometimes go in the other direction. Following several killings of local Hindus early this year in northwest Jammu along the Line of Control, the Indian government established armed citizen militias that patrol villages in the area.

Most G-20 powers, including the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, and France, have issued travel warnings on Kashmir, advising citizens not to visit. It’s not just about the threat of separatist violence; crime has festered amid the instability. As of March, Kashmir ranks second nationally—up from fifth in 2022—in drug abuse. The Kashmir Valley may be emerging as a drug hub, with regular drug-related violence and seizures along the border. Human trafficking is also surging , up 16 percent last year, with women the main target.

As a result, investment in Kashmir is down 55 percent since Article 370’s revocation, according to government data. This is unlikely to surprise locals who have been dealing with rising unemployment, now India’s third-highest rate. Such struggles and stressors are old hat in the valley. Nearly half of all Kashmiri adults have some form of mental disorder , and 9 out of 10 have experienced conflict-related trauma, according to a 2015 Doctors Without Borders study.

A December 2022 New York Times article highlighted Kashmir’s new normal, predicated on “a heavy military presence that is quick to jail dissenting voices” and “no avenues for democratic expression.” When it revoked Article 370, the Modi government vowed to return democracy to Kashmir after a period of central administration. But top local politicians remain under house arrest, and Kashmir has yet to hold an election.

Army checkpoints are ubiquitous and locals need to watch what they say, where they say it, and to whom. In early May, the Indian government blocked more than a dozen chat apps it said separatist locals were using to communicate with Pakistan. And nearly a dozen Kashmiri journalists and activists are behind bars, including Khurram Parvez, winner of this year’s Martin Ennals human rights prize , and Fahad Shah , founding editor of Kashmir Walla.

The United Nations’ special rapporteur on minority issues, Fernand de Varennes, last week accused India of using the G-20 to normalize the “brutal and repressive denial of democratic and other rights of Kashmiri Muslims and minorities.”

Even so, the Modi government has created a sense of optimism in Kashmir and beyond. India took over the G-20 presidency in December, and last month became the world’s most populous country, overseeing the fifth-largest economy. New defense and tech deals with the United States, in contrast to China’s unsettling spy balloons and saber rattling with Taiwan, left some analysts wondering if this might be the decade, perhaps even the century, of India.

The U.S. State Department recently reiterated Washington’s stance that Kashmir is a matter for India and Pakistan to resolve. Yet as in past decades, U.S.-made weapons have lately turned up in Kashmir: M4s and M16s left behind by U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan were presumably found by the Taliban and given to militants in Pakistan.

Despite the uptick in violence, some U.S. officials see the G-20 as a potential game-changer. Former Rhode Island state Rep. Robert Lancia, who is now running for U.S. Senate and plans to attend, expects the event to be a milestone that “will pave the way for lasting peace and prosperity.”

Much like business leaders, government officials tend to minimize negatives and accentuate positives. But India seems to have gone a step further, turning its G-20 presidency into an ad campaign for its growing clout. One wonders if New Delhi is now hoping to marginalize Kashmiris in an effort to peddle a Potemkin village.

“The revocation of Article 370 and the state’s subsequent downgrading to a union territory alienated the people tremendously,” said Mohamed Zeeshan, political analyst and author of Flying Blind: India’s Quest for Global Leadership .

He fears the Modi government may be in too much of a hurry to develop Kashmir. “The danger now is in looking for quick-fix solutions—that always backfires,” added Zeeshan. “You want to look at this as a marathon rather than a sprint, because building trust takes years.”

David Lepeska is a veteran journalist who lived in India and Kashmir for most of 2006 to 2009 and the author of the book Desiccated Land: An American in Kashmir . Twitter:  @dlepeska

Join the Conversation

Commenting on this and other recent articles is just one benefit of a Foreign Policy subscription.

Already a subscriber? Log In .

Subscribe Subscribe

View Comments

Join the conversation on this and other recent Foreign Policy articles when you subscribe now.

Not your account? Log out

Please follow our comment guidelines , stay on topic, and be civil, courteous, and respectful of others’ beliefs.

Change your username:

I agree to abide by FP’s comment guidelines . (Required)

Confirm your username to get started.

The default username below has been generated using the first name and last initial on your FP subscriber account. Usernames may be updated at any time and must not contain inappropriate or offensive language.

Sign up for Editors' Picks

A curated selection of fp’s must-read stories..

You’re on the list! More ways to stay updated on global news:

How Globalization Rose and Fell With Nord Stream

How the world can prepare for trump 2.0, hbo’s ‘the sympathizer’ leans into the tragic absurdity of the vietnam war, where global governance went wrong—and how to fix it, xi’s imperial ambitions are rooted in china’s history, editors’ picks.

• 1 How Globalization Rose and Fell With Nord Stream
• 2 Xi’s Imperial Ambitions Are Rooted in China’s History
• 3 Democracy Has Run Out of Future
• 4 The U.S. Military Is Getting Kicked Out of Niger
• 5 How a Second Trump Term Will Redefine Foreign Aid
• 6 HBO’s ‘The Sympathizer’ Leans Into the Tragic Absurdity of the Vietnam War

Nord Stream Heralded Globalization's Rise and Fall

Trump second term: how the world and u.s. allies can prepare for the election, ‘the sympathizer’: hbo vietnam war series lampoons the military, hollywood, the wto and where global governance went wrong, more from foreign policy, arab countries have israel’s back—for their own sake.

Last weekend’s security cooperation in the Middle East doesn’t indicate a new future for the region.

Forget About Chips—China Is Coming for Ships

Beijing’s grab for hegemony in a critical sector follows a familiar playbook.

‘The Regime’ Misunderstands Autocracy

HBO’s new miniseries displays an undeniably American nonchalance toward power.

Washington’s Failed Africa Policy Needs a Reset

Instead of trying to put out security fires, U.S. policy should focus on governance and growth.

The U.S. Military Is Getting Kicked Out of Niger

New leaders turn the region’s geopolitics on its head.

Sign up for World Brief

FP’s flagship evening newsletter guiding you through the most important world stories of the day, written by Alexandra Sharp . Delivered weekdays.

• Election 2024
• Entertainment
• Newsletters
• Photography
• Personal Finance
• AP Investigations
• AP Buyline Personal Finance
• AP Buyline Shopping
• Press Releases
• Israel-Hamas War
• Russia-Ukraine War
• Global elections
• Asia Pacific
• Latin America
• Middle East
• Election Results
• Delegate Tracker
• AP & Elections
• Auto Racing
• 2024 Paris Olympic Games
• Movie reviews
• Book reviews
• Personal finance
• Financial Markets
• Business Highlights
• Financial wellness
• Artificial Intelligence
• Social Media

G20 delegates begin meeting in disputed Kashmir, with region’s intense security largely out of view

Delegates from the Group of 20 nations attend a tourism meeting in Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Monday, May 22, 2023. The meeting condemned by China and Pakistan is the first significant international event in Kashmir since New Delhi stripped the Muslim-majority region of semi-autonomy in 2019. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan)

Indian paramilitary soldiers and policemen guard from behind a temporary security post as delegates from the Group of 20 nations arrive to participate in a tourism meeting in Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Monday, May 22, 2023. The meeting scheduled for later Monday is the first significant international event in Kashmir since New Delhi stripped the Muslim-majority region of semi-autonomy in 2019. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan)

An Indian policeman guards behind a temporary security post as delegates from the Group of 20 nations arrive to participate in a tourism meeting in Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Monday, May 22, 2023. The meeting scheduled for later Monday is the first significant international event in Kashmir since New Delhi stripped the Muslim-majority region of semi-autonomy in 2019. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan)

Delegates from the Group of 20 nations attending a tourism meeting enjoy boat ride at the Dal Lake in Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Monday, May 22, 2023. The meeting condemned by China and Pakistan is the first significant international event in Kashmir since New Delhi stripped the Muslim-majority region of semi-autonomy in 2019. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan)

• Copy Link copied

SRINAGAR, India (AP) — Delegates from the Group of 20 leading rich and developing nations began a meeting on tourism in Indian-controlled Kashmir on Monday that was condemned by China and Pakistan , as authorities reduced the visibility of security in the disputed region’s main city.

The meeting is the first significant international event in Kashmir since New Delhi stripped the Muslim-majority region of its semi-autonomy in 2019. Indian authorities hope the meeting will show that the contentious changes have brought peace and prosperity to the region.

The delegates will discuss topics such as ecotourism, destination management and the role of films in promoting tourist destinations.

The main city of Srinagar appeared calm on Monday and roads were unusually clean. Most of the usual security checkpoints had been removed or camouflaged with G20 signs. Officials said hundreds of officers were specially trained in what they called “invisible policing” for the event.

Shops in the city center opened earlier than usual after officials asked shopkeepers to remain open. Many shops in the past have closed in protests against Indian policies in the region. But authorities shut many schools in the city.

Mondays’ measures contrasted sharply with the visible security imposed in the days before the event. A massive security cordon was placed around the venue on the shore of Dal Lake, with elite naval commandos patrolling the water in rubber boats. The city’s commercial center was spruced up, with freshly black-topped roads leading to the convention center and power poles lit in the colors of India’s national flag.

Indian-controlled Kashmir remains one of the world’s most heavily militarized territories, with hundreds of thousands of troops. In 1989, a violent separatist insurgency erupted in the region seeking independence or a merger with Pakistan, which also controls part of Kashmir. India replied with a brutal counterinsurgency campaign, and tens of thousands of civilians, soldiers and rebels have been killed in the conflict.

India’s crackdown intensified after 2019 when New Delhi took the region under its direct control. Since then, the territory’s people and its media have been largely silenced . Authorities have seized scores of homes and arrested hundreds of people under stringent anti-terror laws. The government says such actions are necessary to stop a “terror ecosystem,” or civilian support for the armed rebellion.

Authorities have also enacted new laws that critics and many Kashmiris fear could transform the region’s demographics .

Indian federal Minister Jitendra Singh told attendees on Monday that Kashmir is changing.

″If such an event was held earlier, a strike call would be given from Islamabad and shops on Residency Road (in) Srinagar would close. Now there is no hartal (strike),” he said. “Common people on the streets of Srinagar want to move on.”

Last week, the U.N. special rapporteur on minority issues, Fernand de Varennes, said the meeting would support a “facade of normalcy” while “massive human rights violations” continue in the region. India’s mission at the U.N. in Geneva rejected the statement as “baseless” and “unwarranted allegations.”

India’s tourism secretary, Arvind Singh, said on Saturday that the meeting was “not only to showcase (Kashmir’s) potential for tourism but to also signal globally the restoration of stability and normalcy in the region.”

Kashmir, known for rolling Himalayan foothills, has for decades been a major domestic tourist destination . Millions of visitors arrive in Kashmir every year and experience a strange peace kept by ubiquitous security checkpoints, armored vehicles and patrolling soldiers.

The mainstay of Kashmir’s economy, however, continues to be agriculture, and the tourism industry contributes only about 7% to the region’s GDP.

China, with which India is locked in a military standoff along their disputed border in the Ladakh region, has boycotted the event. Pakistan also slammed New Delhi for holding the meeting in Srinagar. Both have argued that such meetings can’t be held in disputed territories.

In a speech to lawmakers in Pakistani-controlled Kashmir on Monday, Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said the Srinagar meeting was a “display of India’s arrogance on the world stage” and the region “has become an open prison” for its residents.

India dismissed Pakistan’s criticism, saying it is not even a member of the G20.

The G20 has a rolling presidency with a different member setting priorities each year. India is steering the group in 2023.

Associated Press writer Munir Ahmed in Islamabad, Pakistan, contributed to this report.

One Earth One Family One Nation

Shri Mata Vaishno Devi

Katra Bhawan

Hari Niwas palace

Gharana Wetlands

Cruise Boat

Mubarak Mandi

Padri (Bahderwah)

Patnitop Snow View

Sunrise Lake

Dal Lake View

Kashmiri Dance

Gulmarg Bowl

Ranjit Sagar Lake (Basholi)

Welcome to the Department of Tourism

The department of tourism, j&k is the main developmental, promotional and regulatory arm of the j&k government. tourism sector is the prime driver of the economy of jammu & kashmir. as such, the department of tourism has a significant role to prepare and project the ut of j&k as a preferred tourist destination in the country. the department has two provincial directorates one each at jammu and srinagar and tourist offices at all tourist resorts of the ut. in addition, there are 6 promotional offices outside the ut, one each at new delhi, mumbai, ahmadabad, hyderabad, chennai and kolkata.. besides there are 20 area specific tourism development authorities in ut each headed by a chief executive officer, actively involved in harnessing the tourism potential and creation of tourist infrastructure in the areas of their operation..

• Notifications
• Condemnation of Vehicle of Dodhpathri Development Authority
• Constitution of Committee for handing taking over of assets of the project Integrated Development of Hazratbal Shrine sanctioned under PRASAD
• Familiarization Tour( Fam Tour) in jammu and Kashmir.
• Constitution of Technical Inspection Committee for Ski Drag Lift Gulmarg.
• Construction of tracks leading to Shri Amarnathji Cave-Advance Drawl Authorization/release of funds under Capex Budget 2023-24 thereof
• Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for adhering to timelines Prescribed for verfication of character and Antecedents-Nominiation of Nodal Officer regarding
• Three (3) day Jammu & Kashmir Development Conference 2024
• Accord of administrative approval to the Installation of vertical lift from Peerkho station of Jammu Ropeway project to Mubarak Mandi Heritage complex at an estimated cost of Rs. 25.07 Crore
• Accord of Administrative Approval for Maintenance of class 9 road from Ranga Morh to Domail and Maintenance and improvement of food tracks from Domail and Chandanwari ti Shri Amarnathji Holy Cave.
• Grant of earned leave in favour of Mr Malik Wasem Ahmad Deputy Director Tourism Recreation DTK, alongwith Station Permission
• Simplification of Registration under Tourist Trade Act 1978/1982/2011- Reconstitution of committee thereof
• Procurement of pick up Van for sanitation by Sonamarg Development Authority advance drawal of funds thereof
• Release of Matching Share of Grants to Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering & Winter Sports (JIM&WS) Pahalgam (JKUT)
• Station leaving permission in favour of Mr Shamim Kraipak Deputy Manager SKICC
• Initiation of RDA Aganist Shri Muhammad Shafi Kakroo Then Dy Director tourism Kashmir (Registration Registration)
• Permission to avail Earned Leave (under LTC) in favour of Ms Heena Mumtaz Head Assistants Tourism Department
• Grant of Extension in Earned leave in favour of Shri Gh.Jeelani Zargar (JKAS) CEO Lolab Bangus Tourism Drangyari Development Authority
• Constitution of Committee for Solarisation of Government Buildings in the Department of Tourism
• Absorption of 145 Employees of Hotal Corporation of India Limited (HCIL) working at centaur Lake View Hotel Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Development Corporation Ltd. Jammu and Kashmir Cable Car Corporation Ltd and Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre Srinagar
• Consttitution of UT-Level Committee For various competitions organized by the Ministry of Tourosm Government of India
• Transfer and Posting
• Purchase of 4 x4 Pick-up Van for sanitation at Sonamarg
• Grant of twenty-five (25) days earned leave in favour of Shri Gh. Jeelani Zargar, JKAS CEO Lolab Bangus Tourism Drangyari Development Authority
• Simplification of Registration under Tourist Trade Act 1978 1982 2011 Constitution of Committee thereof
• Nomination Change of nomination of Nodal Officer to function as Chief Data Office for the Administrative Department in the UT 0f J&K
• Permission to avail Earned leave ( Under LTC) in favour of Mr Fayaz Ahmad Sheen Assistant Accounts Officer
• Delegation of Drawing and Disbursing powers in favour Accounts Officer Kashmir golf Course Srinagar
• Engagement of PMU Unit in Tourism Department for Consultancy Services Advance drawal thereof
• Grant of Earned Leave in favour Shri Ghalib Mohi-Ud-Din ShahCEO Aharbal Tourism Development Authority
• Participation of J&K Tourism in OTM Mumbai on 8th February to 10th February 2024
• Nomination of Nodal Officer for the purpose of referral of vacancies to the Recruiting Agencias
• Grant of earned leave in fovour of Mr. Ahsan-ul-Haq Chisti, Deputy Director Tourism, Kashmir alongwith Station Permission.
• Minutes of the Senior Selection Committee (SSC) meeting of SKICC held under the chairmanship of Secretary Tourism on 02.11.2023
• Particpation of J&K Tourism in Bharat Parv-2024
• Committee for selection J&K Tourism s under Challenge based Destinations Developments sub scheme under Swadesh Darshan 2.0
• Assihnment of Additional Charge to Mr Reheel Ahmad Bhat Statistical Assistant Aharbal Tourism Development Authority
• (Corrigendum to Government order No 126-JK(TSM) of 2023) Participation of JK Tourism in 14th Coventions India Conclave CIC from 7th 9th December 2023 at Mahatma Mandir Convention and Exhibition centre Gandhinagar Gujarat to Promote J&K as MICE destination
• Exchange of Huts at Pahalgam between Directorate of Tourism Kashmir and JK Tourism Development Corporation
• Committees for Selection J&KTourism s proposals under various schemes and competitions.
• (Corrigendum to Government order No 133-JK(TSM) of 2023) Constitution of project Evealuation committe for hiring project management Unit PMU for providing consultancy services to the Department of Tourism Jammu and Kashmir
• Release of funds as non- Recurring Share of JKUT to Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering & winter Sports JIM&WS Pahalgam J&K for the financial year 2022 23 & 2023 24 under Grant-in Aid
• Participation of J&K Tourism in Bharat Parv 2024
• Condemnation of Vehicle of J&K Tourism Development Corporation
• Grant of G P Fund withdrawal Non Refundable in favour of Bilal Khurshid Chief Exective Officer Yousmarg Dev Authority
• Travel for LIFE Case study Competition. Government Order
• Constitution of a Committee for verification of liabilities incurred by JKTDC.
• Accord of Administrative Approval
• Grant of G P Fund withdrawal Non-Refundable in favour of Mr Bakshi Javid Hamayun Director SkICC
• Construction of trachs leading to Shri Amarnathji cave-Advance Drawi Authorization release of funds under capex Budget 2023-24 thereof
• Participation of JK Tourism in 15th Annual Convention at Statue of Unity Gujarat from December 16th to 19th 2023
• Constitution of Committee for Development/updation of JK Tourism Website
• Assigning of additional charge of Legal matters of J&K Cable Car Corporation Ltd
• Participation of JK Tourism in 14th Coventions India Conclave CIC from 7th 9th December 2023 at Mahatma Mandir Convention & Exhibition centre, Gandhinagar,Gujarat to Promote J&K as MICE destination
• Kapil Dev Grant Thornton Invitational 2023
• Participation of Jk tourism in IITM Hyderabad Scheduled to be Held Ist to 3rd December 2023
• Deputation of Shri Javid Hamayun Bakshi, Director SKICC to Puri.
• Participation of JK Tourism in IITM pune is scheduled to be Held W e f 24th to 26 November 2023
• Participation of J&K Tourism in the International Film Festival of India being Held in Goa from 20th 24 Novembar 2023
• Repatriation of Ms Anjani Raina Head Assistant to Directorate of Tourism Jammu
• Grant of Earned leave in favour of Shri Romin Ahmad Sheikh JKAS CEO Verinag TDA
• Deputation of Civil Engineering staff to JK Cable Car Corporation Ltd.
• Assigning of the charge
• Amrit Kalash Yatra
• Nomination of Departmental Vigilance Officer DVO, in SKICC.
• Accord of Administrative Approval.
• Revised Accord of Administrative Approval for Development of Mansar circuit under Comprehensive Mansar Rejuvenation Development plan Phase-1.
• Assigning of DDO Powers.
• Participation of JK Tourism in IITM Mumbai w-e-f 12th - 14th October, 2023.
• Condemnation of Vehicles of JK Tourism Development Corporation.
• Release of funds under Capex Budget for the year 2021-22
• Construction of SkL Lift at Sonamarg-advance withdrawal thereof.
• Installation of Drag Lifts of Gulmarg near Kongdoori.
• 17/12/2021 - OWP No. 555/2017 titled Gh. Hussain Wani Vs State of J&k and Ors - Constitution of Fact Finding Committee
• 13/12/2021 - Adjustment of Civil Engineers
• 10/12/2021 - Sanction of Advance drawal
• 09/12/2021 - Construction of Yatri Niwas of Chanderkote District Ramban by Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board - Authorization / release of funds under CAPEX 2021-22
• 08/12/2021 - Assignment of Additional Charges
• 03/12/2021 - Assignment of Additional Charges to Junior Engineers (Civil)
• 03.01.2024 - Following of procedure laid down in Secretariat Manual Regarding Creation of Files
• 24/03/2022 - Implementation of Business and citizen Reform Action Pan in Jammu and kashmir UT under Mandatyes of Ease of Doing Business and Ease of Living
• 15/12/2021 - Fixation of tariffs for various services/facilites provided by the registered Tourist traders to the tourists for the year 2021-2022 & 2022-2023
• Description of News 1 goes here - DD-MM-YYYY

PHOTO GALLERY

• Insider Reviews
• Tech Buying Guides
• Personal Finance
• Insider Explainers
• Sustainability
• United States
• International
• Deutschland & Österreich
• South Africa

• Home ›
• travel ›
• india ›
• article »

Top 10 Must-visit places in Kashmir in 2024

Aharbal Waterfall

Martand sun temple, shalimar bagh, gurez valley, tulip garden.

• Nothing Phone (2a) blue edition launched
• JNK India IPO allotment date
• JioCinema New Plans
• Realme Narzo 70 Launched
• Apple Let Loose event
• Elon Musk Apology
• RIL cash flows
• Charlie Munger
• Feedbank IPO allotment
• Tata IPO allotment
• Most generous retirement plans
• Broadcom lays off
• Cibil Score vs Cibil Report
• Birla and Bajaj in top Richest
• Nestle Sept 2023 report
• India Equity Market
• Best printers for Home
• Best Mixer Grinder
• Best wired Earphones
• Best 43 Inch TV in India
• Best Wi Fi Routers
• Best Vacuum Cleaner
• Best Home Theatre in India
• Smart Watch under 5000
• Best Laptops for Education
• Best Laptop for Students

• Advertising
• Write for Us
• Privacy Policy
• Policy News
• Personal Finance News
• Mobile News
• Business News
• Ecommerce News
• Startups News
• Stock Market News
• Finance News
• Entertainment News
• Economy News
• Careers News
• International News
• Politics News
• Education News
• Advertising News
• Health News
• Science News
• Retail News
• Sports News
• Personalities News
• Corporates News
• Environment News
• Nothing Phone (2a) India-exclusive edition launched
• JNK India IPO allotment
• JioCinema New Subscription Plans
• Realme 70X 5G Launched
• Apple Let Loose Launch event
• Top 10 Richest people
• Top 10 Largest Economies
• Lucky Color for 2023
• How to check pan and Aadhaar
• Deleted Whatsapp Messages
• How to restore deleted messages
• 10 types of Drinks
• Instagram Sad Face Filter
• Unlimited Wifi Plans
• Recover Whatsapp Messages
• Google Meet
• Check Balance in SBI
• How to check Vodafone Balance
• Transfer Whatsapp Message

Copyright © 2024 . Times Internet Limited. All rights reserved.For reprint rights. Times Syndication Service.

• Personal Finance
• Today's Paper
• Partner Content
• Entertainment
• Social Viral
• Pro Kabaddi League

Singapore aims to cross pre-Covid levels of Indian tourist arrivals: STB

Singapore tourism board (stb) is also focusing on meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions or events (mice) and this year there are a lot of events lined up to interest business travellers.

Representative Image

Listen to This Article

Indian army rescues over 1,200 stranded tourists in sikkim due to snowfall, tax roadblock to tourism drive: india isn't 1st choice for foreign tourists, covid possibly peaked in singapore, says minister but experts cautious, after floods, tourists have started turning towards himachal once again: cm, arunachal cm congratulates bro for rescuing 70 stranded tourists in tawang, likely missile attack by houthi rebels targets container ship in red sea, gaza war: can international criminal court arrest israeli pm netanyahu, blinken arrives in saudi to discuss israel normalisation, post-war gaza, village defence guard killed in gunfight with terrorists in jammu & kashmir, hamas releases video of hostages pleading israeli pm for negotiation.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Don't miss the most important news and views of the day. Get them on our Telegram channel

First Published: Apr 29 2024 | 5:36 PM IST

Explore News

• Suzlon Energy Share Price Adani Enterprises Share Price Adani Power Share Price IRFC Share Price Tata Motors Share Price Tata Steel Share Price Yes Bank Share Price Infosys Share Price SBI Share Price Tata Power Share Price HDFC Bank Share Price
• Latest News Company News Market News India News Politics News Cricket News Personal Finance Technology News World News Industry News Education News Opinion Shows Economy News Lifestyle News Health News
• Today's Paper About Us T&C Privacy Policy Cookie Policy Disclaimer Investor Communication GST registration number List Compliance Contact Us Advertise with Us Sitemap Subscribe Careers BS Apps
• Budget 2024 Lok Sabha Election 2024 IPL 2024 Pro Kabaddi League IPL Points Table 2024