Adil Lateef
SRINAGAR, Sept 21: With Kashmir valley witnessing poor tourist arrivals since last year due to violence and uncertainty triggered after killing of militant commander Burhan Wani, the tourism in Ladakh region has thrived and recorded increase in number of visitors in 2017 which include both domestic and foreigners.
The Kashmir valley this year witnessed one of the worst tourism seasons in its recent decades due to militant and street violence. As a result, the tourism industry of the region is in deep crisis and has affected lakhs of souls directly and indirectly dependent on it. While the state of tourism in Valley is distressful, the industry is thriving in Ladakh division.
Officials said that compared to 2016, the Leh district of Ladakh, which is most preferred tourist destination, has recorded increase in tourist arrival this year and the flow of tourists is continuing. According to officials of Tourism Department, a total of 2, 27, 312 tourists have visited Leh district since January till September 15. Out of 2, 27, 312 visitors, the number of foreigners stood at 40, 126 and 1, 86, 176.
“The flow of tourists in Leh continued throughout the year. This year, it has increased due to Valley situation and the number is higher than 2016 because many of the tourists preferred Leh than Kashmir. We also saw local Kashmiri visitors. We also witnessed brisk tourist season last year,” said an official of the Tourism Department at Leh. The official said that they expect more increase in tourism flow during upcoming Leh festival which would be organized in this month only.
Valley tour operators admitted that the tourism footfall in the Ladakh region and particularly in Leh has increased this year. “Despite bad situation in Kashmir, the tourism in Ladakh thrived. The situation of Valley has had no bearing on Ladakh. Also, most of the bookings to Ladakh are made in advance and cancellations are negligible. They witnessed increase,” said Director CNE Holidays, Nasir Shah, who has spent many years in Leh.
“The tourism industry is now an important and major socio-economic sector for Ladakh. Tourism is generating handsome revenue and enormous employment opportunities both skilled and un-skilled, especially in the sectors such as hotels, guest houses, restaurants, catering services, transport, porters, ponies, souvenir shops, handicrafts etc.,” the officials noted. They said that the main tourist attractions in Ladakh are Nubra Valley, Pangong Lake, Buddhist monasteries and sky touching heights like Khardung La pass.
The officials said that the tourism season in Leh begins to pick up ideally from the month of April when Zojila and Manali road links re-open after six month closure due to heavy snowfall. “And, we record peak tourist season in July-August months,” they said. With high influx of tourists in Leh, the neighbouring Kargil district, which is still under-developed and lacks tourism infrastructure, is also witnessing tourist footfall as visitors from and to Srinagar prefer night stay there.
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