Onlykashmir.in News Desk
Kokernag has emerged as one of South Kashmir’s fastest-growing tourism draws, recording a footfall of approximately 600,000 visitors since March, a surge that has significantly strengthened its standing as a preferred destination for domestic and international travellers alike.
According to officials overseeing the site, the visitor mix has included local tourists from within Jammu and Kashmir, travellers from across India, and a growing number of foreign tourists drawn by the area’s natural scenery. Mohammad Rouf Rehman, who heads the Kokernag Development Authority, said the numbers reflect a broadening appeal that goes beyond the traditional domestic tourist base that has historically sustained the destination.
Visitors have consistently praised Kokernag for its natural landscape, mountain views, clean air and flowing water streams, elements that together create an experience distinct from Kashmir’s more heavily trafficked tourist circuits. “Kokernag is a wonderful place to visit. The mountains, beautiful landscape and fresh air make the place very refreshing, while the water stream adds to its natural beauty. It is a place where visitors can enjoy nature at its best,” one local tourist said, capturing the sentiment echoed by many who have made the trip this season.
The scale of the footfall has had tangible economic effects on the local population. The rise in visitor numbers has generated new employment and livelihood opportunities in the area, giving a meaningful boost to tourism-dependent businesses ranging from small eateries and guesthouses to transport operators and local guides who depend on steady visitor traffic for their income.
The Kokernag Development Authority says it is continuing to invest in tourism infrastructure at the site, with an eye toward sustaining and building on the current momentum. Officials indicate that ongoing development work is aimed at improving visitor amenities and further promoting the destination among travellers from across India and abroad, positioning Kokernag as a long-term growth story within Jammu and Kashmir’s wider tourism sector rather than a seasonal spike.
The numbers also arrive at a moment when Jammu and Kashmir’s tourism sector as a whole has been registering strong recovery and growth, with destinations beyond the traditional Srinagar-Gulmarg-Pahalgam circuit increasingly drawing attention as authorities push to diversify the Union Territory’s tourism map and spread economic benefits more widely across different districts.
