1.42L tourists visited J&K in Feb, 72L since June: G Kishan Reddy, Tourism minister

New Delhi, March 24

As many as 1.42 lakh tourists visited Jammu and Kashmir in the last month, which is the highest in the past seven years, the government informed the Rajya Sabha on Thursday. Replying during the Question Hour, Minister for Tourism G Kishan Reddy said the Central Government was helping in promoting tourism in J&K.

The number of flights to Jammu in the last month was 1,280 and Srinagar had 2,048 flights, which is the result of the Centre’s encouragement of creating civil aviation infrastructure, he said. The financial assistance given by the Centre to Jammu is the highest in the country, which includes 3,902 loans during Covid and under the emergency credit line guarantee scheme, and as many as 1,03,750 people have been helped, Reddy said.

“The situation has improved after Covid in Jammu and Kashmir. In the last month alone, 1,42,000 tourists visited Kashmir. This is the highest number of tourists in the last seven years in the UT,” the minister informed the Upper House of Parliament. “Since June 2021, as many as 72 lakh tourists visited Jammu and Kashmir and this has helped local people promote their arts and handicrafts,” Reddy said.

In his written reply, he said as a result of the steps taken, domestic tourism is at its peak in the UTs of J&K and Ladakh. “It is corroborated with the speech of the finance minister while presenting the Budget of J&K and Ladakh for 2022-23. As per this, the tourism sector is also registering increase in footfall of tourists. Around 1.43 lakh tourists visited Kashmir in December 2021 which is the highest in the last seven years,” Reddy said.

“From September 2021, around 72.09 lakh tourists, including pilgrims, visited Jammu and Kashmir which is much higher than the previous year. The winter season has witnessed 100% high-end hotel occupancy in Srinagar and at prominent tourist destinations across the Valley, particularly Gulmarg and Pahalgam,” the minister added. — PTI

Over 1 lakh people got financial help

• 1.03 lakh Jammu people, the highest in the country, got financial help from the Centre during the Covid pandemic, says Reddy.
• 100% high-end hotel occupancy seen in Srinagar during the winter season amid push to the tourism sector, he adds.

Highest in 7 years

This is the highest number of tourists in the Union Territory in the last seven years. The influx has helped local people promote their handicrafts. — G Kishan Reddy, Tourism minister