SRINAGAR: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday acknowledged that Jammu and Kashmir’s tourism revival has been fraught with challenges but expressed optimism that the upcoming winter season could mark a turnaround, with snowfall expected to attract visitors.
Speaking at an event in a Srinagar hotel, the Chief Minister said the economy has slowed since mid-April, impacting the government’s spending capacity. “The manufacturing, tourism, handicrafts, handlooms, and even agriculture and horticulture sectors have suffered, particularly due to recent heavy rains and floods in both Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
Abdullah noted that recent GST rate changes are likely to hit the state’s revenue hard. “Our internal assessment shows that we may lose between ₹900 crore and ₹1,000 crore in GST earnings this year. For a state already facing a fiscal deficit, that’s a significant setback. But this is not a story of despair—it’s one of hope, optimism, and looking forward,” he said.
The Chief Minister said his government, along with stakeholders in the tourism industry, is working diligently to get the sector back on track. “It hasn’t been easy. We had hoped for a faster recovery. Unfortunately, summer was a lost season, and even autumn hasn’t lived up to expectations. We had anticipated strong tourist inflows, particularly from eastern India during the Punjab holidays,” he said.
He added that the year has been marked by multiple setbacks — from the Pahalgam terror attack and the India-Pakistan tensions to heavy rains and flash floods between July and September. “The situation has been tough. For tourism promotion, our teams are already in Singapore, targeting Southeast Asia — a major tourism market. We are also focusing on cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Kolkata, and Ahmedabad,” he said.
Abdullah expressed hope that a stronger winter season could revive the sector. “We rely heavily on tourists from West Bengal, but their numbers were disappointing this year. Now, our focus is on winter. Forecasts suggest an extreme winter ahead, with more snowfall than usual. If that holds true, we can rebuild our tourism on the snow this season,” he said.
