Leh, April 24, 2025: In view of the cowardly attack on innocent tourists by the armed terrorists in Pahalgam, in which around 26 people lost their lives, the Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Brigadier (Dr) BD Mishra (Retd) appealed to all stakeholders and sought their assistance in welcoming tourists with open arms and take all necessary measures to increase the footfall of tourists in Ladakh.

Stating that tourism is the lifeline of people of Ladakh as majority of people are engaged in tourism activities for their livelihood, the HLG sought cooperation from all tourism stakeholders to welcome and support tourists and not indulge in any malpractices that might hamper the footfall of tourists in Ladakh and affect the livelihood opportunities of the people of Ladakh. The HLG stated that, going by the trend, he was expecting more tourists to visit Ladakh in 2025 than in 2024.

The HLG stated that appropriate action would be taken against the travel advisories issued by the United States and United Kingdom, categorising the Union Territory of Ladakh under Jammu and Kashmir and thereby creating confusion and concern among foreign and domestic tourists.    

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Stating that the nation is facing a difficult time, the HLG highlighted the need to secure the nation and protect our sisters and daughters. Further stating that nobody wants Kashmir’s economy-which is dependent on tourism, as majority of people in areas such as Pahalgam are dependent on tourism for their livelihood- to suffer, the HLG sought everyone’s goodwill and support and the need to evoke the ‘nation above everything else’ sentiments to overcome the difficult period.