More than 700,000 tourists have visited Kashmir so far this year, the highest number since an insurgency erupted more than two decades ago, an official said. The violence is at its lowest level since the start of a revolt in 1989 as per an AFP report.

“This has been the best tourist season since the insurgency began in the state. With the return of peace and normalcy the tourism sector has started showing significant resurgence,” said Kashmir governor N N Vohra. He added that this year’s visitors included 21,000 foreigners.

In 1988, nearly a million tourists visited the region known as the “Switzerland of the East” for its snow-capped mountains, freshwater lakes and breathtaking landscapes. But their numbers dwindled after the revolt began. Visitors started returning in large numbers after India and Pakistan launched a peace process in January 2004 to settle six decades of hostility sparked by rival claims to Kashmir.

A total of 500,000 tourists visited in 2008, before the troubles escalated. But massive unrest over the last two summers appeared to dash hopes of a recovery in the tourist trade as the flow of visitors dried up.

The number of visitors “to the valley this summer should serve as a loud message for change of travel advisories issued by various countries regarding Jammu and Kashmir,” Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said. “Good days of tourism are returning."

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