Eight judges of Punjab and Haryana High Court and their families are in Kashmir amid a worsening tourism slump here, raising hopes that the move will help restore confidence among travellers.

Kashmir tourism suffered a major setback following the April 22 terror attack on tourists in Pahalgam and the subsequent four-day clashes between India and Pakistan. Authorities have been trying to revive tourism with little success, but there have been some individuals who are sailing against the currents to revive interest in the Valley.

Officials said eight judges from Punjab and Haryana High Court — Justices Vinod S. Bharadwaj, Pankaj Jain, Jasjit Singh Bedi, Nidhi Gupta, Harkesh Manuja, Aman Choudhary, N.S. Shekhawat and Vikram Aggarwal — were touring Kashmir. Their families have joined them, too.

Over a month ago, actor Atul Kulkarni had bucked the “boycott-Kashmir” trend set off by the Right-wing ecosystem with his passionate “Chalo Kashmir” appeal. He visited several places, including Pahalgam.

Pictures available on social media show the judges and their families enjoying shikara rides in the Dal Lake. An official said their itinerary includes a visit to the Mughal gardens — Shalimar, Nishat and Pari Mahal — on the foothills of the Zabarwan mountain range.

"Several individuals are taking such initiatives, giving us hope that tourism will see a revival sooner rather than later,” said Irshad Ahmad Hazari, the secretary of the Kashmir chapter of the Travel Agents Association of India.