Sajid Raina
Gurez, Sep 18: The April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians, mostly tourists, led to a sharp decline in tourist inflow to Kashmir’s frontier areas, including Gurez, Karnah, and Uri. However, arrivals picked up in July and August, bringing much-needed relief to the local population.
According to reports, official figures are yet to be released as the season is nearing its end, but locals said tourist arrivals in the areas near Line of Control (LoC) remained low until the summer months brought a boost.
Notably, Gurez, Karnah, and Uri in recent years have been promoted as destinations for offbeat tourism, with May to September considered the peak season. “In May and June this year, there were fewer visitors compared to the same period in previous years. However, the numbers improved in July and August,” said a local.
“In May we hardly saw any visitors. Hotels and homestays remained mostly empty. It was only after June that groups began arriving,” said Bashir Ahmad, who runs a homestay.
Local traders in Karnah gave a similar account. “The season started late. By July, we began to see more families and trekkers. Before that, the area was quiet,” said Abdul Rashid, who owns a shop in Tangdhar.
Tour operators said border tension increased after the Pahalgam terror attack, which led tourists. “When people hear of such incidents, they avoid travel for a while. Once things settle, they come. That is what we saw this year,” said a Srinagar-based operator who organizes trips to border areas.
Despite the late start, residents said that July and August witnessed steady arrivals. “This was the time when tents were booked and local guides were in demand,” said Ghulam Nabi. “It helped many of us recover losses from the early season,” he added.
Officials from the Tourism Department said the flow of visitors to border areas is increasing overall, even if arrivals fluctuate due to security operations or weather. “The department has been promoting destinations like Gurez and Karnah, and we are seeing consistent growth in tourist interest. Border tourism is part of the larger plan to diversify destinations in Kashmir,” an official said.
For locals, the late but eventual arrival of tourists brought some relief. “We depend on these few months,” said Fayaz Ahmad from Gurez. “Even if the season started late, it ended better than we had expected in the beginning.”
