Over 1.08 cr tourists visited J&K till June this year: MHA

SRINAGAR: Till June 2024, as many as 1,08,41,009 tourists have visited Jammu and Kashmir.
This was informed in Rajya Sabha by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai after a question was raised ) whether the tourism sector in U.T. of Jammu and Kashmir has grown rapidly after August, 2019 and the efforts that are being made by Government to develop tourism in U.T. of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Minister informed that the tourism sector in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed unprecedented growth post abrogation of Art 370. In year 2020, as many as 34,70,834 tourists visited Jammu and Kashmir.
1,13,14,884 tourists visited the Union Territory in year 2021, 1,88,64,332 tourists in 2022, 2,11,24,674 in year 2022 and 1,08,41,009 till June 2024, the minister informed.
He further said that the Government of Jammu and Kashmir has reported that several measures have been taken that led to significant improvement in the tourism sector.
The Government has notified Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Policy2020, provided the status of industry to the Tourism Sector for availing incentives under the Jammu and Kashmir Industrial Policy- 2021.
Also the government has notified the home stay guidelines to accommodate increasing number of tourists and to give benefits to the locals from the economic gains of the tourism sector. The Government has notified Jammu and Kashmir Film Policy- 2021 and notified Houseboat Policy – 2020 while it has identified 75 off-beat destinations, he said.
Border Tourism has picked up in J&K and hitherto unknown locations have been opened up for tourism viz. Gurez, Keran, Teetwal and R S Pura. UT of J&K is also emerging in adventure and Golf tourism, he said.
The Government of Jammu and Kashmir has undertaken various infrastructure projects to boost the tourism sector. The minister informed that UT of J&K is emerging as an international tourist destination after successfully hosting major events such as the 3rd G-20 Tourism Working Group Meeting.
He said J&K's modern infrastructure and growing number of luxury hotels and resorts make it a prime location for destination weddings and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) tourism.
The minister further informed that the Government of Jammu and Kashmir has reported that due to the above initiatives, tourism's contribution to Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) has increased from 7.84% in FY 2019-20 to 8.47% in FY 2022-23. The tourism sector has recorded an annual average growth rate of 15.13% during the last three years.

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