Editorial photo #12473145 Economy, Business and Finance
Tourism Sector In Kashmir, India
Kashmiri boatmen sit inside their Shikaras as they wait for tourists at Dal Lake in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, on June 14, 2025. The Pahalgam terror attack leads to the cancellation of nearly 80% of tourist bookings in the valley, delivering a severe blow to the tourism sector, which contributes significantly to the region's GDP. This setback occurs at a time when the region witnesses back-to-back tourism booms and hopes for a bumper tourist season this year as well. At least 26 tourists are killed on April 22 when gunmen open fire on a group of tourists in Pahalgam, in what officials describe as the most serious civilian attack in the region in recent years. In response, on May 7, the Indian Armed Forces launch 'Operation Sindoor', targeting alleged terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The terror attack leads to an India-Pakistan conflagration from May 7 that ends in a ceasefire announced on May 10. The tourism bodies in Kashmir, including the Chamber of Tourism and the Trade and Industry Katra (CTTIK), report an abrupt drop in tourist arrivals, stressing that this creates an economic void across multiple sectors linked directly and indirectly to tourism. (Photo by Firdous Nazir/NurPhoto)
