Kashmir was one of the most sought-after tourist destinations in the country before Tuesday noon, but by evening there was a frantic scramble among visitors to leave the Valley in the aftermath of the terror strike.

The deadly militant attack in Pahalgam emptied the famed destination of tourists by Tuesday evening, with other places also witnessing an unprecedented exodus on Wednesday.

Kashmir tourism was bursting at the seams, with some visitors willing to pay as much as ₹35,000 for a one-way flight to Srinagar. The attack has dealt a massive blow to the industry, the Valley’s lifeblood, and also threatens to shatter the success of the central government’s initiative to project Kashmir as a peace haven.

“Pahalgam looks like a ghost town today. Tourists have all left. We do not know how long it will take to revive tourism,” a former sarpanch of a village said. “In the last few years, homestays have mushroomed not just in Pahalgam town but in all villages around it. We are doomed.”

Officials said Kashmir tourist spots witnessed a record three million visitors last year, a notable increase from 27 lakh in 2023 and 26.7 lakh in 2022. The numbers were expected to surge further.

Government data shows 8.14 lakh people had visited Srinagar’s Tulip Garden in the 26 days after it opened on March 26.

Tourism plays a key role in Jammu and Kashmir’s economy, contributing 8.47 per cent to the GDP.

Tourists and locals during a protest against the Pahalgam terror attack, in Srinagar, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. At least 26 people were killed in the terrorist attack in J&K's Pahalgam on Tuesday.

Chief minister Omar Abdullah flagged the issue of tourist exodus against the backdrop of the terror attack, calling it a heartbreaking situation. “It’s heartbreaking to see the exodus of our guests from the Valley after yesterday’s tragic terror attack in Pahalgam, but at the same time we totally understand why people would want to leave,” he said.

The chief minister said the Directorate General of Civil Aviation and the civil aviation ministry were working to organise extra flights, while National Highway 44 between Srinagar and Jammu had been reopened for one-way traffic. The road was closed following multiple landslides.

“I’ve directed the administration to facilitate traffic between Srinagar and Jammu, allowing tourist vehicles to leave. This will have to be done in a controlled and organised way because the road is still unstable in places and we are also working hard to clear all stranded vehicles,” Omar said.

He said the terror attack had triggered widespread panic among visitors, many of whom were seeking to return home at the earliest.

Omar said the government would not be able to permit complete free movement of vehicles at the moment and asked people to cooperate.

Air India and IndiGo have announced the operation of four additional flights to aid evacuation and accommodate the surge in outbound travel.

An advisory issued by the civil aviation ministry urged airlines to “take swift action to increase the number of flights in response to heightened demand” from tourists seeking to exit Kashmir.

Manzoor Pakhtoon, chairman of the Kashmir Houseboats Association, said the survival of the tourism industry was the least of their concern at the moment as it was a time to grieve.

“We are all saddened by the great loss of human lives. We are trying our best to comfort tourists and help them in whatever ways possible,” Pakhtoon told The Telegraph.

Tourists leaving Kashmir could be spotted everywhere, heading to the Jammu national highway and the Valley’s only airport in Srinagar.

Experts believe the undoing has been the government’s increased emphasis on selling tourism as a sign of normalcy and its effort to shift the narrative from “terrorism” to “tourism”.

In May 2023, the government hosted a G20 tourism meeting in Srinagar to bolster its “all-is-well” narrative.

Official sources said one of the major concerns for the administration was to ensure that pilgrims come to Kashmir in June for the annual Amarnath Yatra.

“The images of tourists leaving Kashmir will play on their minds but we are praying it won’t affect the Yatra as it is several weeks away,” an official said. The pilgrimage draws lakhs of people.