Jammu, Dec 30: After the arrival of 1.5 crore tourists across Jammu region last year, visitors’ footfall witnessed sharp decline in 2020 due to Coronavirus pandemic.
As against 1.5 crore tourists that visited Jammu region in 2019, this year, around 28 lakh tourists arrived in the region with most of them visiting Mata Vaishno Devi shrine (17 lakhs) proving once again that tourism in the region revolves around pilgrimage besides leisure, adventure, health, and meditation.
In 2018, a record number of 1.60 crore tourists had visited Jammu region.
“After 2016, the inflow of tourists to Jammu region has increased,” a tourism official said and added, “but in 2019, the tourist inflow slashed down in view of situation erupted after abrogation of Article 370 on August 5 following which the state was bifurcated into two Union Territories.”
The number of tourists visited to different destinations in 2020 included Shri Mata Vaishno Devi 17 lakh (approx), Shiv Khori Cave Shrine in Reasi district 437523, Patnitop in Ramban district 47443, Mansar in Samba district 11254, Sanasar 433, Suchetgarh in RS Pura Sector of Jammu district 28699, Chichi Mata Temple in Samba district 39220, Sukrala Mata in Billawar tehsil of Kathua district 60538, Mata Bala Sundari in Kathua district 3759, Ziarat Sain, Mira 77984, Nangali Sahib in Poonch 26422, Bhaderwah in Doda district 1667, Jammu Airport 52724 and Jammu Railway Station 103084.
In 2020, the domestic tourists were 2750311 whereas the foreigners were 1420.
An official added that in 2008, 83.31 (in lakh) tourists visited Jammu region but with each passing year, the inflow of tourists from different parts of the country and the world has increased manifold.
In 2009, 103.47 lakh; in 2010, 116.34 lakh; in 2011, 134.85 lakh; in 2012, 142.63 lakh; in 2013, 124.333 lakh; in 2014, 101.962 lakh; in 2015, 123.853 lakh; in 2016, 122.835 lakh; in 2017, 133.181 lakh; in 2018, 160.469 lakh tourists visited prominent parts of Jammu region.
Directorate of Tourism, Jammu had recently made vigorous efforts to promote tourism spots and invited tourists from across the globe to visit Jammu and Kashmir and explore the scenic beauty.
The Directorate of Jammu Tourism has also appealed to tourists to visit Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory and explore it asserting that the safety of the tourists is an utmost priority. “The safety of tourists is our foremost priority and Jammu & Kashmir is indeed a blessed region with peace, secure and serene environment,” said an official.