In view of such concerns, the authorities on Monday announced to shut several tourist destinations, particularly the off-beat locations, for visitors.
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The Pahalgam terror attack has hampered tourism initiatives in Jammu and Kashmir with the government shutting down major off-beat destinations for travellers.
In the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, which left 26 people including a local pony operator, tourism in the region has taken a severe hit. The incident led to widespread booking cancellations and raised concerns over the security.
In view of such concerns, the authorities on Monday announced to shut several tourist destinations, particularly the off-beat locations, for visitors. Even some of the locations were declared off- limits to outstation tourists.
According to an official, over 45 tourist destinations were closed for tourists.
Some of these destinations include Sinthan Top, Margan Top, Bangus, Aharbal, Doodpathri, Yousmarg and Tousimaidan.
Gurez Valley has been reportedly shut for the non-local tourists.
Setback to initiatives
The government over the last few years took various initiatives, aiming at developing and promoting the off-beat tourist destinations across Jammu and Kashmir following a surge in tourist arrivals.
In 2024, Union Minister of Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat at 25th Annual National Convention of Tourist Guides Federation of India in Srinagar stressed the need for developing and promoting the off-beat destinations.
He said that as the popular destinations witnessed overwhelming crowds, it was imperative to divert tourists to lesser-known destinations
To promote such destinations, the government organised winter carnivals, developed infrastructure and improved connectivity to attract tourists.
These locations also short to prominence after the tourist hotspots like Pahalgam and Gulmarg witnessed low snowfall during the past two years.
Shutting down of these destinations dealt a severe blow to government’s initiatives.
An official at Sinthan Top, an off- beat location in district Anantnag, told businessline that the area had not seen any tourists since the Pahalgam terror attack.
“The tourists had been evacuated and destination closed”, he said.
The official said that shutting these locations would also stymie the infrastructure development.
The destination emerged as a new address for tourists in 2024 as it was only among a few places that received adequate snowfall.
A tourist official, however, said that all the major tourist destinations across Kashmir remain open to tourists.
Published on April 29, 2025
