Security is being heightened in Kashmir as the number of tourists returns

As tourist flow to Kashmir returns to the levels seen in the months before the Pahalgam terror attack in April, a multi-layered security cover was thrown around tourist destinations in the Valley on Wednesday (December 31, 2025) on the eve of the New Year.

The J&K Police used facial recognition devices to keep local terrorists and their supporters, registered by the police, away from Pahalgam in south Kashmir. Dozens of vehicles entering Pahalgam, which is decked out for the New Year celebrations, were checked and travelers were scanned with facial recognition equipment, officials said.

Additional check posts were set up at Gulmarg, which borders Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK), in Baramulla district. Special events, including light and music shows, took place on Wednesday evening at the famous winter destination, which is covered in a thick blanket of snow after the latest snowfall in the past 24 hours. Hundreds of tourists camp in Gulmarg for New Year’s Eve. Most hotels reported full occupancy. Accommodation in Gulmarg includes around 2,200 beds in hotels and huts.

Security has been beefed up in Sonamarg, Ganderbal in central Kashmir. Areas near Baltal, on the route to the Amarnath Yatra, are off-limits to tourists. Sonamarg, which was first opened for winter tourism in 2024, has also witnessed another spell of snowfall in the last 24 hours

The renewed popularity of destinations in Kashmir comes at a time when the Valley’s tourism sector has taken a major hit following the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 tourists were killed.

“The tourist rush is the same as before April this year (the Pahalgam terror attack took place on April 22). We have been working to restore confidence among tourists at both national and international levels. The results are visible today. The revival of tourism has also been shaped by coordination between the public and private sectors,” said Syed Qamar Sajad, director of the Ministry of Tourism.

According to officials, around 5,000 tourists reached Kashmir every day during the past week. Kashmir has received around 10.47 lakh domestic tourists in 2025, compared to around 26 lakh tourists in 2024.