Critically analyse the limitations of relying solely on security measures for tourism revival in conflict-affected areas.

While robust security arrangements are essential in sensitive regions, an over-reliance on militarisation can create perceptions of instability and deter visitors. Security deployments without parallel civilian engagement may reinforce the image of a conflict zone rather than a tourism destination. Thus, security alone cannot ensure sustainable revival.Tourism requires a holistic ecosystem: Functional infrastructure such as roads, communication networks, and clean public spacesTransparent administrative procedures for closures and reopeningCommunity participation in governance Without these elements, security efforts may appear reactive rather than preventive.Moreover, excessive securitisation can marginalise local communities, reducing their negotiating power and sense of ownership. A balanced approach—combining credible security with economic inclusion and environmental governance—is more likely to yield durable peace dividends.

Reviving Kashmir: The Potential of Sustainable Tourism

Exploring how tourism can empower local communities and counteract terrorism in Kashmir post-2025.

Surya

•February 19, 2026•5 mins read

Rebuilding trust through sustainable Kashmir tourism

Not Started

1. Context: Security Shock and Tourism Vulnerability

The April 2025 Pahalgam attack exposed the fragility of tourism in conflict-prone regions. Tourism thrives on predictability; visitors return only when they can reasonably anticipate safety and continuity.

Following the attack, the administration closed 48 government-approved tourist sites, reopening them in phases, including 14 sites on February 16. Such closures highlight the state’s immediate security response but also reveal the economic cost of disruption.

Tourists reportedly rated the Kashmir Valley as relatively safe overall while differentiating between types of risk. This suggests that perceptions of risk are nuanced and responsive to governance clarity.

Tourism is highly sensitive to uncertainty. If closure and reopening decisions lack transparent criteria, visitor confidence declines and economic recovery slows.

“Peace and security are the foundations of sustainable development.” — United Nations

2. Predictability and Policy Clarity: The Core Requirement

Tourism recovery depends not only on improved security but also on clear, rule-based governance. Visitors need to know under what conditions sites may be closed or reopened.

If closures appear arbitrary, uncertainty increases. Conversely, a fixed and lucid rationale builds institutional credibility. Functional tourism requires reliable permits, working roads, medical support, communication systems, and emergency response mechanisms.

The state’s incentive lies in reducing disruptions, as stable tourism generates revenue, employment, and legitimacy.

Predictability transforms security management from reactive crisis response to institutional governance. Without clear protocols, even safe destinations may struggle to rebuild trust.

3. Budgetary Push: Institutional Capacity and Sustainable Trails

In the Union Budget 2026–27, the Finance Minister announced a two-pronged tourism strategy:

Institutional capacity building
Development of trails and heritage sites

Special emphasis was placed on ecologically sustainable mountain trails in Jammu and Kashmir. Formalised trails enable better management through ticketing, permits, ranger deployment, and medical facilities.

Diversifying the “Kashmir experience” reduces ecological pressure on overcrowded sites and spreads economic benefits more evenly across regions.

Governance Advantages of Formal Trails:

Structured visitor flow management
Improved monitoring and safety
Revenue generation through permits
Environmental protection through controlled access

Institutionalising tourism infrastructure reduces fragility. Without formal systems, unmanaged tourism may strain ecology and weaken safety oversight.

4. Tourism as Economic Stabiliser and Counter-Radicalisation Tool

An influx of tourists can stimulate the local economy by creating demand for hospitality, transport, guiding, and allied services. Over time, more families benefit directly from keeping tourism sites functional.

Economic interdependence can incentivise communities to resist forces that disrupt tourism. Functional tourism ecosystems generate civic stakes in maintaining stability.

Tourism also reduces isolation by bringing people from across India into direct contact with local communities, fostering business ties and social exchange.

Socio-Economic Impacts:

Employment generation, especially for youth
Skill development and reskilling opportunities
Increased household income diversification
Broader civilian stake in social stability

When livelihoods depend on openness, communities gain a material incentive to preserve peace. Ignoring economic integration risks reinforcing alienation.

“Economic development is the best long-term solution to insecurity.” — Kofi Annan

5. Third Prong: Shared Environmental Governance

Kashmir is a biodiverse region that has experienced prolonged militarisation. Shared environmental governance can build trust between state agencies and local communities.

The article suggests moving beyond volunteer awareness campaigns toward paid civic roles, modelled on forest protection committee protocols. These may include trail maintenance, waste management, guiding, fire watch, and wildlife conflict mitigation.

Such roles create structured participation in governance rather than symbolic engagement.

Potential Civic Roles:

Trail maintenance and upkeep
Waste management systems
Local guiding and interpretation services
Fire monitoring and wildlife conflict mitigation

Paid civic participation enhances ownership and accountability. Without structured local involvement, tourism governance may remain externally driven and less trusted.

6. Administrative Reliability and Infrastructure as Trust Builders

Functional tourism requires reliable permits, rapid emergency response, clean public spaces, working roads, and effective communication systems. Lower disruption levels incentivise the state to solve these governance gaps.

Institutional efficiency in tourism administration strengthens state legitimacy. Conversely, bureaucratic delays, inconsistent rules, and poor infrastructure undermine both economic and security objectives.

Tourism governance therefore intersects with broader public administration reforms.

Administrative reliability is as important as physical security. If governance systems fail to deliver basic services, tourism confidence erodes despite improved security conditions.

7. Civilian Ownership and Social Stability

The people of the region deserve greater civilian ownership over social stability. Expanding economic participation increases negotiating power and reduces incentives for resentment.

Tourism-linked economic empowerment can provide youth with pathways into the formal economy, reducing vulnerability to alienation.

Civilian economic strength enhances social resilience and complements security measures.

Security-driven stability alone is insufficient. Durable peace requires civilian stakeholders whose economic interests align with openness and stability.

“Where there is economic despair, there is social unrest.” — Martin Luther King Jr.

Conclusion

The Pahalgam attack underscored that tourism in conflict-sensitive regions depends on predictability, institutional clarity, and local ownership. While infrastructure development and capacity building are important, shared environmental governance and structured civic participation can form a crucial third pillar.

A tourism strategy rooted in transparent rules, sustainable infrastructure, and community empowerment can transform tourism from a fragile economic activity into a stabilising force that strengthens both development and social trust in the region.

Quick Q&A

Everything you need to know

The April 2025 Pahalgam attack underscored a fundamental principle of tourism economics: tourism thrives on predictability. Visitors may tolerate a certain level of perceived risk, but they require clarity regarding safety protocols, site accessibility, and emergency responses. The temporary closure of 48 government-approved tourist sites demonstrated the state’s immediate security response, but staggered reopening highlighted the need for a transparent and consistent rationale behind such decisions.

Tourist perceptions in Kashmir reveal a nuanced understanding of risk — many visitors differentiate between isolated incidents and systemic instability. Therefore, recovery depends less on eliminating all risk and more on building confidence through clear rules, reliable permits, working infrastructure, and rapid emergency assistance. When visitors see a structured system, uncertainty reduces, even if broader geopolitical tensions persist.

In conflict-prone regions globally — such as Northern Ireland or Colombia — tourism revival occurred only when governance mechanisms created credible safety guarantees. Similarly, Kashmir’s tourism recovery hinges on institutional clarity and predictable state action, rather than reactive closures alone.

The Union Budget’s emphasis on ecologically sustainable mountain trails represents more than an infrastructure initiative; it is a strategy for diversifying and formalising the tourism experience. Formal trails allow for regulated ticketing, permit systems, ranger deployment, and medical preparedness. This structured approach reduces environmental degradation while enhancing visitor confidence.

Kashmir’s fragile mountain ecosystems face pressure from unregulated tourism. By designing managed trails, authorities can limit overcrowding in vulnerable areas and spread tourist activity across multiple sites, reducing ecological strain. This aligns with global best practices seen in countries like Nepal and Bhutan, where controlled trekking routes balance conservation with revenue generation.

Strategically, sustainable trails also strengthen state presence in remote regions through civilian engagement rather than militarisation alone. This dual objective—environmental protection and economic revitalisation—makes sustainable trail development a crucial pillar of long-term stability in Jammu and Kashmir.

Tourism can serve as an economic stabiliser by directly linking local livelihoods to peace and openness. When families derive income from hospitality, guiding, handicrafts, and allied services, they develop a tangible stake in maintaining stability. An influx of tourists can stimulate local entrepreneurship, leading to improved services and diversified economic opportunities.

The proposal to create paid civic roles—such as trail maintenance, waste management, wildlife conflict mitigation, and fire watch—can institutionalise local participation. Drawing from forest protection committee models around protected areas, such structured engagement fosters accountability and community ownership. Paid roles, unlike volunteer awareness drives, provide economic incentives aligned with environmental and security objectives.

Globally, post-conflict regions such as Rwanda used eco-tourism and community-based conservation to reduce resentment and build civilian ownership of peace. Similarly, in Kashmir, empowering youth through skilling and tourism-linked employment can offer alternatives to alienation, thereby strengthening social resilience.

While robust security arrangements are essential in sensitive regions, an over-reliance on militarisation can create perceptions of instability and deter visitors. Security deployments without parallel civilian engagement may reinforce the image of a conflict zone rather than a tourism destination. Thus, security alone cannot ensure sustainable revival.

Tourism requires a holistic ecosystem:

Functional infrastructure such as roads, communication networks, and clean public spaces
Transparent administrative procedures for closures and reopening
Community participation in governance

Without these elements, security efforts may appear reactive rather than preventive.

Moreover, excessive securitisation can marginalise local communities, reducing their negotiating power and sense of ownership. A balanced approach—combining credible security with economic inclusion and environmental governance—is more likely to yield durable peace dividends.

A comprehensive strategy would include three integrated pillars. First, institutional capacity building: establish clear protocols for site closure and reopening, emergency response systems, digital permit platforms, and transparent communication to ensure predictability. This would directly address tourist confidence gaps.

Second, ecologically sustainable infrastructure: develop regulated mountain trails with ranger oversight, ticketing systems, and medical facilities. This ensures environmental preservation while expanding the tourism footprint beyond conventional hotspots.

Third, community-centred governance: introduce paid civic roles in tourism management, drawing from forest committee models. Involve youth in guiding, conservation, and hospitality services through structured skilling programmes. Shared environmental governance can build trust between state and citizens.

By aligning security, sustainability, and community ownership, such a strategy would convert tourism from a vulnerable economic activity into a stabilising force for long-term regional peace and prosperity.