NewKerala.com

J&K Spends Rs 76 Crore on Tourism Push, Invites Bollywood Stars

The Jammu and Kashmir government has disclosed spending over Rs 76 crore on tourism promotion over the last two financial years. The expenditure was nearly evenly split, with over Rs 29 crore spent in the Jammu division and over Rs 27 crore in Kashmir. Key initiatives included aggressive digital marketing, participation in travel marts, and organizing winter sports events. The government also invited Bollywood celebrities on familiarization tours to boost positive publicity and traveler confidence.

Key Points: J&K Tourism Promotion: Rs 76 Crore Spent in Two Years

  • Rs 76 crore total tourism spend
  • Rs 29 crore in Jammu division
  • Bollywood celebrity FAM tours conducted
  • Winter sports events promoted
  • 78 promotional events in Jammu region
2 min read

Rs 29 crore spent on tourism promotion in Jammu, Rs 27 crore in Kashmir in two years: J&K govt

J&K govt spent over Rs 76 crore on tourism promotion, with major investments in Jammu and Kashmir divisions. Initiatives include Bollywood FAM tours and winter sports events.

"aggressive digital marketing, social media campaigns and publicity through print and electronic media - J&K Government"

Jammu, Feb 12

The Jammu and Kashmir government said on Thursday that it has spent over Rs 76 crore on tourism promotion in the union territory during the last two years, out of which over Rs 29 crore were spent in the Jammu division and over Rs 27 crore in the Kashmir division.

The union territory government told the Legislative Assembly that the expenditure has been in the two divisions during the financial years 2024-25 and 2025-26.

Replying to a question raised by BJP MLA Yudhvir Sethi, the government said that in the Jammu division, an expenditure of over Rs 16 crore was incurred in 2024-25, while Rs 12 crore has been spent in 2025-26 so far. In the Kashmir division, the department spent over Rs 14 crore during 2024-25 and Rs 13 crore in the current financial year till January 2026.

The government said several initiatives have been undertaken to restore traveller confidence and increase tourist footfall across the union territory.

These include aggressive digital marketing, social media campaigns and publicity through print and electronic media.

The department has also participated in 10 national and international travel marts to showcase Jammu and Kashmir's tourism potential.

To generate positive publicity, Bollywood celebrities were invited for familiarisation (FAM) tours in the Jammu division between June 28-30 and July 2-6, 2025, during which they interacted with local stakeholders.

The government further informed the House that winter sports events were organised at Bhaderwah on January 17-18, 2026, while another event was scheduled at Sartal on February 8. A budget of Rs three crore has been sanctioned for the development of winter sports infrastructure at Bhaderwah and Basohli/Sartal during 2025-26.

In addition, 78 promotional events have been organised across the Jammu region, including campaigns through hoardings, newspapers, radio and social media, to promote Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra and other tourist destinations, the government said.

- IANS

Share this article:

Reader Comments

P
Priyanka N
While the spending seems balanced between Jammu and Kashmir divisions, I hope the actual development on the ground matches this expenditure. Tourists come for good roads, clean facilities, and safety. Promotion is good, but infrastructure is key. The winter sports budget is promising!
A
Aman W
Inviting Bollywood celebrities is a great strategy. It creates a buzz and shows the region is safe and beautiful. My family visited Gulmarg last year after seeing photos from a film star, and it was fantastic. More of this, please!
S
Sarah B
As someone who has traveled extensively in India, I'm glad to see focused promotion for J&K. The numbers look substantial, but transparency in how each rupee is spent would build more public trust. Which agencies got the contracts for these campaigns?
K
Karthik V
Good to see the government is actively working on tourism. Jammu often gets less attention than Kashmir, so the nearly equal spending is a welcome sign. Promoting the Amarnath Yatra and other religious tourism in Jammu can really boost the local economy. Jai Shri Ram! 🙏
N
Nikhil C
Rs 76 crore in two years is a lot of money. I just hope it's not wasted on fancy events and consultant fees. The real test is if tourist numbers and hotel bookings go up. Also, the benefits should reach the small shopkeepers and shikara walas, not just big hotels.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50