Official Data: Nearly 10 Lakh (993,596) Tourists Visited Pahalgam in Year Since Baisaran Terror Attack

Official data released on April 23, 2026 — the day after the first anniversary of the Pahalgam massacre — showed that approximately 993,596 tourists (nearly 10 lakh) visited the Pahalgam region in the twelve months between April 2025 and April 2026. The figure, reported by Kashmir Thunder citing data from J&K tourism authorities, represents a significant demonstration of tourism resilience despite the deadly attack at Baisaran meadow on April 22, 2025, in which Lashkar-e-Taiba-linked Resistance Front militants killed 26 tourists and locals. The data showed that while the Baisaran meadow — the actual massacre site — remained sealed and inaccessible to tourists pending a full security and access review, the broader Pahalgam valley, including its famous hills, streams, and trekking routes, had continued to draw visitors from across India. J&K officials and security forces cited the visitor numbers as evidence that India had successfully restored tourist confidence in the valley. The QR code-based identity verification system introduced for Pahalgam tourism service providers — enabling tourists to verify service providers' credentials and police clearance — was also credited with improving tourist safety perceptions. Authorities noted that overall J&K tourism continued to recover, with the state recording footfall across multiple sites including Gulmarg, Sonamarg, and Betaab Valley in addition to Pahalgam. The data was released as part of anniversary-day reporting on the one-year impact of the Pahalgam attack on the region's economic and security landscape.