Year-end festivities and fresh snowfall brought vibrancy back to the Kashmir Valley, raising hopes that 2026 will witness a record surge in tourist arrivals. In December alone, the Valley welcomed 1.5 lakh visitors, comprising 148,277 domestic tourists and 1,723 international travellers. Following a spell of snowfall around December 22, daily arrivals surged to approximately 15,000 tourists during the final week of the year. On New Year’s Eve, major destinations like Pahalgam hosted between 15,000 and 17,000 visitors, while resorts such as Gulmarg and Sonamarg achieved full hotel occupancy.
Srinagar’s iconic Dal Lake came alive as hundreds of shikaras carrying tourists from across India and abroad glided across its waters. After a prolonged lull since April 2025, the long-missing buzz has finally returned, signalling that the tourism industry is back on track.
“We are truly enjoying our time in the Kashmir Valley. We visited Gulmarg yesterday, and today we are on Srinagar’s Dal Lake. It’s beautiful. The weather is wonderful, the people are incredibly friendly, and we feel completely safe here. They treat you like family, and we can even move around freely at night,” said one visitor.
Almost the entire Valley was filled with cheer as thousands of tourists ushered in the New Year. Popular destinations such as Gulmarg, Pahalgam, and Sonamarg witnessed overwhelming crowds, while Srinagar was similarly abuzz, reflecting the festive spirit throughout the region.
For the full calendar year of 2025, Kashmir Valley welcomed approximately 10.68 lakh tourists, including 10.47 lakh domestic visitors and 21,361 foreign travellers.
Although the year began with strong tourist arrivals, 525,272 visitors in the first 97 days and full occupancy in hotels at Gulmarg and Pahalgam, a terror attack in Pahalgam in April, which claimed 27 lives (mostly tourists), caused a severe setback, with bookings dropping to nearly zero for several months.
Despite the mid-year slowdown due to security concerns, the year ended on a high note with a “New Year boom” that saw a massive spike in bookings and visitor footfall compared to preceding months.
The Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Department has actively organised multiple cultural events and celebrations across key destinations such as Gulmarg, Pahalgam, and Sonamarg to attract more visitors. Many tourists remarked that they had never witnessed a place as breathtakingly beautiful as the Kashmir Valley, underscoring the region’s unmatched charm and growing appeal.
Local tourism stakeholders have expressed immense satisfaction over the recent surge in arrivals, marking a long-awaited revival after months of subdued activity. With the renewed influx of visitors, there is strong optimism that 2026 could surpass all previous tourism records, setting new benchmarks for the Valley.
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