Foreign tourist footfall doubled in Ladakh in June

LG attributes surge to Modi's push to domestic tourism, infra

Excelsior Correspondent

LEH, July 8: Tourist arrivals in Ladakh continued to rise sharply, with the number of foreign visitors nearly doubling in June this year, while overall tourist arrivals increased by more than 43 per cent compared to the same month last year.

An official communication said that 6,680 foreign tourists visited Ladakh in June 2026 against 3,349 in June 2025, registering a growth of 99.46 per cent.

"The increase reflects Ladakh's growing popularity among international travelers looking for adventure, culture, spirituality and nature-based tourism," it said.

As per the official communication, Israel remained the largest source of foreign tourists, followed by Thailand, the United States, Vietnam, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Japan, Malaysia, Australia, Taiwan, Russia, Italy, South Korea and Spain, among other countries.

Overall, Ladakh received 1, 07,740 tourists in June this year compared to 75,089 during the corresponding month last year, recording a growth of 43.48 per cent.

From January to June 2026, the Union Territory welcomed 2, 25,286 tourists, including 2, 11,645 domestic visitors and 13,641 foreign tourists.

Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena said the steady rise in tourist arrivals reflected the success of the Administration's efforts to develop Ladakh as a year-round tourism destination while ensuring sustainable growth.

He said tourism remains one of the key pillars of Ladakh's economy and provides livelihood to thousands of people, including hotel owners, guest house and homestay operators, tour operators, transporters, trekking guides, artisans and local entrepreneurs.

Saxena attributed the tourism growth to improved infrastructure, better connectivity and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's push to promoting domestic tourism and infrastructure boost in the Ladakh region.

He said the Administration has introduced several measures to strengthen the tourism sector, including simplifying regulatory procedures, reducing compliance requirements, granting industry status to hotels and guest houses, improving visitor facilities and encouraging private investment.

The Administration has also focused on expanding tourism beyond the summer season by promoting winter tourism, adventure activities, trekking, wildlife, rural, wellness, cultural, spiritual and astro-tourism.

It said hosting national and international sporting events, cultural festivals and tourism promotion campaigns has also helped increase Ladakh's visibility and extend the tourist season.