'If you leave now ... ': J&K CM Omar Abdullah has a message for tourists in aftermath of Pahalgam attack

NEW DELHI: Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah acknowledged the fear and anxiety among tourists following the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives. Appealing for calm, he urged visitors to stay, and said that their departure at this time would serve the motives of those behind the attack.
"I can understand the fear among the tourists. Those who come here on a vacation don't want to experience any fear... But I want to tell them that if they leave Kashmir during these times, then it may make our enemies win. They targeted tourists because they wanted to send all the tourists out of Kashmir," he said speaking to the reporters on Saturday.
"Helicopters could not land here. After the incident of Pahalgam, I got the chance to come here today... I want to assure the people that we are with them. Their biggest demand is that they want to be settled elsewhere. The DC has already been instructed about it," he added.

This comes after reports suggest that the terror attack is expected to deal a blow to tourism in J&K, with May — typically the peak month for tourist arrivals — just a week away. Travel and tour operators have already reporting a surge in cancellations following the killings.
The CM had recently informed the assembly that the region saw a record 2.3 crore tourist arrivals in 2025, building on strong numbers from previous years — 1.88 crore in 2022 and 2.11 crore in 2023, according to tourism department data.
However, tourism stakeholders, who had been optimistic about a peaceful season free from hartal calls by separatists, fear that the recent terror attack in Pahalgam — one of the Valley’s most popular tourist destinations — will send a negative signal to travelers across the country, Local Circles reported.
The attack is also expected to dampen the spirits of Amarnath Yatra pilgrims, just as the registration process for this year’s pilgrimage begins. In 2023 alone, over 21 million pilgrims visited Kashmir for the Yatra, highlighting the significance of the event for the region’s tourism sector.