CM Omar Abdullah pins hope on snowfall to revive J&K’s tourism; calls for sustainable development

Following the Pahalgam attack and Delhi blast, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said on Saturday, November 29, 2025, that the year 2025 will not be good for tourism but held out hope that snowfall will revive the industry and help attract more visitors to the valley.

“This year has not been easy for us in terms of tourism. Be it Pahalgam, Delhi and Nowgam, it has had a huge impact on our tourism,” Mr. Abdullah told reporters on the sidelines of a tourism event here.

On April 22, 26 people, most of them tourists, died in the terrorist attack on the Baysaran meadows in Pahalgam, a famous tourist resort in the south of Kashmir. On November 10, 15 people were killed in a car explosion near the Red Fort in Delhi, while on November 14, 9 people were killed in an accidental explosion at Nowgam police station.

“The key to increasing pedestrian rainfall is snowfall. We had a completely dry November. We hope that God will bless us and we will get a good snowfall in December. We think that when it snows, places like Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Sonamarg, Srinagar will benefit from it, but it is in God’s hands. The earlier it snows, the earlier our winter tourism season will start.”

Mr. Abdullah noted that the numbers were lower when tourists were visiting the valley.

“Tourists are coming, maybe not in the number we want, but they are coming. When we opened the Chrysanthemum Garden, tourism revived, and when it snows, more tourists will start coming,” he said.

He expressed hope that the number of tourists will increase during the Christmas and New Year period.

The Prime Minister said that the preparations and promotions required by the government have been made. “The main thing in tourism is promotion. The more promotion and marketing you do, the more people will come,” he said.

Earlier, the Prime Minister attended the inauguration of the Kashmir Chapter of SKÃL International Club here, marking an important step towards strengthening global tourism links and expanding international reach in the tourism sector.

The initiative is set to open new avenues for sustainable tourism, international cooperation and long-term growth while integrating Jammu and Kashmir with global tourism networks.

Commenting on the event, Mr. Abdullah said that the core values ​​of SKÃL are deeply aligned with the ethos of Jammu and Kashmir.

“When you look at SKÃL and look at tourism in Kashmir, you realize that there are synergies that automatically arise. The word SKÃL means Scandinavian and the translation of these four words is health, friendship, longevity and happiness,” he said.

Underlining that the importance given to responsible and sustainable tourism is increasing, Abdullah said that tourism should develop in a way that protects both people and the environment.

“If tourism is not responsible and sustainable, it will not last long. One of the cornerstones of our recent activities has been to make tourism more responsible and sustainable,” he added.

The Prime Minister announced that the government is preparing to develop nine new tourism destinations as a mega project that requires huge investment.

“The basis of this project is sustainability, environmentally responsible development that includes the local community. Tourism or any industry that does not benefit the local people is an industry that will not survive,” he said.

Speaking about the strength of the people of Jammu and Kashmir despite repeated challenges, Mr. Abdullah said, “We are nothing if not resilient.”

“Yes, there is darkness, but it will not stay forever. Winters last a few months, then the snow melts and spring comes. My desire, my wish, my effort is for this spring to last for years.”

Commenting on the past turmoil in the tourism industry, he said that people have seen many ups and downs in Jammu and Kashmir tourism.

“Now I just want you to see the upward trend. The relationship formalized today between SKÃL and Kashmir tourism will benefit both SKÃL and the tourism industry here,” the Prime Minister said.

It was published – 29 November 2025 08:45 IST