J&K tourism to get Rs 5,500 crore under externally funded budget

Jammu and Kashmir’s tourism sector will receive an investment of about Rs 5,500 crore under an externally funded budget, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said on Saturday.

“We will do whatever we can for Gulmarg and other tourism destinations. It will perhaps be for the first time that under an externally funded project, tourism sector will get an exclusive investment of about Rs 5,500 crore,” Abdullah said while addressing an event in Gulmarg in north Kashmir.

The Chief Minister was speaking after unveiling the Curtain Raiser of the 17th Annual Convention of the Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI) at the Gulmarg Convention Centre. The national convention is scheduled to be held in Srinagar from December 17 to 20, 2025.

Abdullah said the convention would play an important role in positioning Jammu and Kashmir as a leading global destination for adventure tourism. He added that infrastructure development and tourism promotion would continue without interruption.

Acknowledging that the sector had faced a particularly difficult year, the Chief Minister assured stakeholders of continued government support for Gulmarg and other tourism destinations.

Recalling Gulmarg’s legacy, Abdullah said skiing was practised there long before it gained popularity in other parts of the country. However, he noted that changing circumstances and climatic shifts had caused Jammu and Kashmir to lag behind destinations that are now more frequently mentioned in national discussions on trekking, mountaineering and rafting.

Highlighting the impact of climate change, the Chief Minister pointed to a sharp decline in snowfall in recent years. He said that while Gulmarg earlier used to receive heavy snowfall by mid-December, recent winters have seen little or none, posing serious challenges for winter tourism and skiing.

“If we do not adapt, skiing in Gulmarg risks becoming a memory rather than a living tradition,” he cautioned.

Abdullah advocated technological interventions, including artificial snow-making systems, similar to those used in several European ski destinations. He suggested storing rainwater and using snow machines when temperatures fall below zero, at least on select slopes, particularly those served by newly installed drag lifts.

He also proposed the installation of floodlights on certain ski slopes, on the lines of Japan, to allow skiing during evening hours and maximise tourist activity during short winter days.

The Chief Minister expressed hope that the forthcoming ATOAI annual convention would be successful and mutually beneficial, and would further strengthen Jammu and Kashmir’s position on the national and global adventure tourism map.