Centre Denies Economic Impact Assessment After Pahalgam Attack, Cites Tourism Revival in Jammu and Kashmir

SRINAGAR: The Government of India has said it has not conducted any assessment on the economic impact of the recent Pahalgam terrorist attack on Jammu and Kashmir’s tourism sector, even as tourism figures in the Union Territory continue to show strong overall growth.

Responding to a question raised by Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi in the Lok Sabha on July 28, Minister of Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat acknowledged that the Ministry is aware of the incident but confirmed that no specific study has been carried out to measure losses faced by tourism-dependent stakeholders in the region in the aftermath of the attack.

The Pahalgam incident, which occurred at the peak of the 2025 summer tourist season, raised concerns over visitor safety and its potential fallout on business earnings in Kashmir’s vital tourism economy. Yet, the central government’s response points to a continuing upward trend in tourist arrivals in the region, with figures provided by the Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Department showing robust year-on-year growth.

According to the data submitted to Parliament, Jammu and Kashmir saw 2.35 crore domestic tourist visits in 2024, along with over 65,000 foreign tourist visits. The momentum has continued into the first half of 2025, with more than 95.9 lakh domestic and 19,570 foreign tourist visits recorded by the end of June.

The Ministry did not indicate any disruption or slowdown in these figures directly attributed to the attack in Pahalgam, one of the Valley’s key tourist and pilgrimage hubs.

While sidestepping the question of compensation or support to local businesses affected by the security incident, the government highlighted a range of national initiatives to bolster tourism promotion in Jammu and Kashmir and elsewhere.

These include financial assistance to states and Union Territories under flagship schemes like Swadesh Darshan, PRASHAD (Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive), and aid to central agencies for tourism infrastructure development.

The Ministry also cited ongoing promotional campaigns such as Dekho Apna Desh, Chalo India, International Tourism Mart, and Bharat Parv as efforts to restore confidence and encourage domestic and international travel to lesser-explored destinations, including Jammu and Kashmir.

A digital push through the Incredible India Content Hub and regular content sharing via the Ministry’s website and social media has, the government claimed, helped expand tourism’s reach and appeal.

Further, in an effort to improve service delivery and tourist experience, the Ministry has continued investments in capacity-building and skill development schemes such as Incredible India Tourist Facilitator (IITF), Paryatan Mitra, and Paryatan Didi.

However, critics argue that such nationwide schemes may not offer sufficient, targeted support to local communities in Kashmir still reeling from the fallout of violence and economic uncertainty.

With the Kashmir Valley’s tourism economy relying heavily on peak seasonal traffic, stakeholders in regions like Pahalgam have repeatedly called for direct economic relief, security reassurances, and disaster mitigation plans—issues that remain largely unaddressed in the government’s current strategy.

As the region continues to navigate a tense security climate alongside a booming visitor economy, the disconnect between central policy and ground realities has once again come into focus.