Raja Syed Rather
New Delhi, Dec 15 :
The Union Government Monday informed Lok Sabha that Jammu and Kashmir witnessed a significant surge in tourism in the year 2024, with footfalls exceeding 2.30 crore visitors.
This record influx includes more than 65,000 foreign tourists that underscores the Union Territory’s increasingly prominent role in India’s tourism sector.
Replying to an unstarred question, Union Minister for Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat according to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) said that Jammu and Kashmir registered 2,30,12,707 domestic tourist visits and 65,452 foreign tourist visits in 2024—taking the total footfall to 2,30,78,159.
The minister also informed the house that the Ministry of Tourism is providing financial assistance for tourism infrastructure development under schemes such as Swadesh Darshan, Swadesh Darshan 2.0, PRASHAD, Challenge Based Destination Development and Assistance to Central Agencies for Tourism Infrastructure Development.
Jammu and Kashmir is eligible for support under these schemes for strengthening tourism facilities and destinations.
On promotion of cultural and heritage tourism, the minister said that although development and maintenance of tourist sites is primarily the responsibility of States and UTs, the centre promotes destinations in a holistic manner through events, fairs, festivals, digital platforms and international tourism exhibitions to boost both domestic and foreign tourist inflow, including to Jammu and Kashmir—(KNO)