Recent reports indicate that 16 out of the 48 tourist parks that were closed immediately after the terrorist incident in the valley have reopened, allowing access to areas like Pahalgam, Betaab Valley, and Badamwari in Srinagar for visitors once again.
Although the impact of the terror attacks lingers and Kashmir seeks to regain its previous tourist appeal, some travel companies are highlighting the rise of new destinations. The strength of the Indian domestic tourism market has attracted new entrants into the industry, while established companies are increasing their investments.
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Chennai-based online travel startup PickYourTrail has ventured into domestic travel, beginning with tailored itineraries for Kashmir. Previously focused on crafting international travel experiences—except for a brief period during COVID-19—the startup now believes it’s an opportune moment to explore local tourism.
“Kashmir attracts 35 lakh visitors annually compared to just 15 lakh Indians visiting Thailand,” explains Hari Ganapathy, co-founder and CEO of PickYourTrail. “Our goal is to replicate the excellent customer experience we’ve developed internationally within domestic markets.”
The startup’s focus isn’t limited to Kashmir; it also plans to explore three broader domestic destinations—the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Northeast India, and Rajasthan. The company believes that these domestic trips could provide additional growth to its revenue, which reportedly exceeds ₹100 crore.
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However, Ganapathy and the PickYourTrail team recognize the challenges ahead. With a surge in competition within the Indian domestic tourism market, the availability of hotel rooms has seen a notable increase, particularly in markets like the Andaman Islands, where there is often a shortage of hotel capacity. “Larger OTAs hold a significant share of the domestic market and frequently purchase inventory,” notes Hari. “These are challenges we are fully aware of.”
This competitive landscape means that significant events like the Pahalgam attack and subsequent three-day armed conflict with Pakistan have become mere footnotes in India’s broader tourism narrative.
According to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), domestic tourists in India spent ₹15.5 lakh crore in 2024, signifying a 22% rise compared to spending in 2019, with forecasts suggesting this could reach ₹16.8 lakh crore this year. GDP figures are also promising: Domestic tourism contributed nearly ₹21 lakh crore to the national GDP, marking a 20% increase over 2019 contributions.
In Bengaluru, amusement park and hospitality operator Wonderla Holidays has chosen to broaden its resort offerings. Recently, Wonderla unveiled The Isle in Bengaluru, a 39-key resort that chairman and managing director Arun Chittilappilly stated is part of a series of new resort launches the company is initiating.
“The goal is to provide diverse experiences for our guests and create resorts that connect them to the outdoors and nature,” explains Arun. “We aim to expand into other cities and eventually be present in all locations where we operate amusement parks.”
Despite primarily being an amusement park operator, Wonderla anticipates that the resort segment will make a significant impact on its revenue. “Amusement parks will remain our core business, while resorts will be a valuable addition,” Arun comments, “We hope that the resort segment, currently contributing less than 5 percent, will rise to between 10 to 15 percent of our overall revenue.”
IndiGo has also set its sights on the domestic market, enhancing regional connectivity with a new direct flight between Indore and Ghaziabad starting July 20. This route bypasses Delhi’s busy airport, connecting the Devi Ahilyabai Holkar and Hindon airports, both emerging aviation hubs, providing quicker access to the Delhi NCR, Noida, Meerut, and Ghaziabad.
