Jammu: More than 1.77 crore tourists visited Jammu and Kashmir in 2025, including over 36,000 foreign nationals, the government informed the Legislative Assembly on Saturday.
In a written response to a query by MLA Hasnain Masoodi, the Tourism Department said a total of 1,77,65,390 tourists visited the Union Territory between January 1 and December 31, 2025. Of these, 36,410 were international visitors, while 1,77,28,980 were domestic tourists.
The government said it has not fixed specific targets for tourist arrivals in 2026 but noted that continuous promotional campaigns and development initiatives are being undertaken to boost both domestic and foreign tourism.
On the resumption of international flights from Srinagar airport, the department said the airport is fully equipped with immigration, customs, security, and passenger-handling infrastructure. However, the launch of international flight operations depends on the operational and commercial decisions of airlines.
The government said the airport is ready to handle international services whenever airlines decide to commence operations.
Responding to a separate query on the Home Stay Programme, the department said the initiative has been largely successful in increasing accommodation capacity, creating local employment, and promoting community participation in tourism. In view of its positive outcomes, the programme is likely to be extended to more potential areas.
The department also acknowledged challenges such as limited awareness, capacity constraints, and infrastructure gaps, adding that these issues are being addressed through awareness campaigns, capacity-building measures, and coordination with relevant departments.
