'40 million tourists in 2 years': J&K CM hails record footfall; calls it 'unprecedented'

SRINAGAR: More than 40 cardinal tourists visited Jammu and Kashmir successful the past 2 years, J&K CM Omar Abdullah said Tuesday, calling the grounds footfall “unprecedented” successful a spot with a colonisation of lone astir 13 million.Foreign tourer arrivals saw a crisp emergence successful the period, Omar said. “In 2021-22, astir 19,000 foreigners visited Kashmir and 38 visited Jammu. In 2022-23, Kashmir recorded 30,000 overseas tourer arrivals portion Jammu saw 17,000,” helium added.The CM said J&K had emerged arsenic 1 of the premier film-shooting destinations successful the country. “Many blockbuster movies, specified arsenic Leo and Dunki, on with respective TV serials, person been changeable successful the Union Territory,” Omar, who besides holds the tourism portfolio, stated successful a written reply to a question by NC legislator Farooq Ahmad Shah.Omar said galore offbeat locations successful J&K had gained prominence connected the tourer map, including Suchetgarh, Aithem, Basohli, Pancheri, Nathatop, Gulabgarh, and Ransoo successful Jammu Division, and Gurez, Bangus, and Doodhpathri successful Kashmir Division. “These destinations experienced an bonzer influx of tourists owed to the meticulously organised promotional events conducted by the tourism department,” helium said.

The CM informed the House that the tourism ministry had allocated Rs 50.5 crore successful the past 2 years for tourism-related advertising, of which much than Rs 42 crore had been utilised. He added that the section was taking up respective initiatives to beforehand wintertime tourism successful Sonamarg — connected the lines of Gulmarg — to diversify the experience.