India, July 9 -- A little over a year ago, the April 22, 2025 terror attack in Pahalgam killed 25 tourists and a local guide, triggering mass cancellations and a fear that visitors simply would not return. Today, that fear looks increasingly misplaced. Kashmir's tourism recovery is real, and it is backed by hard numbers.

More than five lakh tourists visited Kashmir in just the first four and a half months of 2026, with April alone recording over 1.32 lakh arrivals. This comes after a record-setting 2024, when the Valley had welcomed 34.98 lakh visitors, including more than 43,000 foreign tourists, before the Pahalgam attack disrupted the momentum. Hotels are filling up again. Houseboats on Dal Lake are occupied. Restaurants are bustling...