Five years after the picturesque Gurez Valley near the Line of Control (LoC) in North Kashmir’s Bandipora district was thrown open to commercial tourism, the Jammu and Kashmir government has announced plans to establish a tourism development authority (TDA) in the remote area that saw more than one lakh tourist arrivals in 2024. Once considered out of bounds for civilians due to cross-border firing and militancy, Gurez is set to emerge as a new destination for nature-lovers and adventure-seekers. “Gurez valley has emerged as a popular destination and a tourism development authority will be set up for it,” chief minister Omar Abdullah, who also holds the tourism portfolio, told the assembly last week.
Last year, more than one lakh tourists visited Gurez, a significant jump from the 46,038, who visited in 2023, and 12,472 in 2022 and 5,000 in 2019-20. In 2022, Gurez received the ‘best offbeat destination’ award, while in 2023, Dawar village in Gurez was honoured with the ‘best tourism village’ award in the gold category by the Union tourism ministry. “This accolade highlights the region’s cultural richness and tourism potential,” he said.
Buoyed by the response from tourists and trekkers in summer, the UT government is approaching the Centre for developing Gurez as an all-weather destination. Surrounded by kail and pine forests, the serene valley, once on the ancient Silk Road that connected Asia with the Middle East and Europe and facilitated cultural and e.
