SRINAGAR: Ladakh recorded a 65.90 per cent increase in tourist arrivals during the first ten months of 2026, receiving 4.91 lakh visitors between January and October, compared to 2.96 lakh during the corresponding period last year, Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena said on Friday.
In a post on X, Saxena said the Union Territory had registered an increase in tourist arrivals for the sixth consecutive month, with growth recorded across May, June, July, August, September and October.
According to the figures shared by the Lieutenant Governor, tourist arrivals increased by 121 per cent in May, 43 per cent in June, 56 per cent in July, 65 per cent in August and 61 per cent in September compared to the corresponding months of 2025.
The upward trend continued in October, when Ladakh received 30,623 tourists against 17,537 in the same month last year, registering a growth of 74.62 per cent.
Saxena attributed the increase to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call to promote domestic tourism and policy initiatives undertaken by his administration to strengthen the local tourism industry.
He said the rise in tourist arrivals was also creating employment opportunities and supporting sustainable livelihoods for local communities.
Welcoming visitors to the Union Territory, the Lieutenant Governor urged tourists to explore Ladakh’s natural beauty and cultural heritage while practising responsible tourism.
