Pahalgam: A year after the terrorist attack that rocked Kashmir’s beautiful hill town, tourist footfall in Pahalgam has declined sharply, reducing the vibrancy of one of the busiest holiday destinations in the region.Before the attack, the city regularly received 3,000 to 5,000 visitors per day. Today, the numbers tell a different story. Official data obtained by TOI from the local tourism center showed that from May 2025 to April 15, 2026, Pahalgam recorded 4,30,495 domestic tourists, a sharp decline from earlier years, when annual tourists were between 12 to 15 lakh, with a monthly average of around 1 to 1.1 lakh visitors.The decline is particularly impressive when compared to April 2025, the month of the attack. By April 22, when the attack occurred, about 1.37 lakh tourists had visited the city in 22 days.The decline in tourist footfall in Pahalgam can also be gauged by comparing the number of tourists visiting this picturesque town from January to April 2025, when the total number of visitors during these four months had reached 463,390. In contrast, data from January to April 2026 shows a steep decline with only 254,930 tourists across all months, nearly 45% less than the same period in 2025. The cumulative decline of more than 200,000 tourists suggests a significant negative trend.Yet, amid the recession, a new and sad milestone has emerged. A martyr’s memorial, established by the Jammu and Kashmir government near the popular “selfie point” of Pahalgam on the banks of the Lidder river, has become a focal point for visitors. The memorial bears the names of all 26 tourists who lost their lives in the attack.For many, the trip is less about leisure and more about recollection.On the banks of the river, tourists gather as usual, some standing on stones to take photographs, some sitting in small groups having breakfast, some dipping their feet in the cool water.However, as they approach the monument, their expressions reveal what has changed in a year. His mood changes. Some people stand silently and read each name written on the monument. Others raise their phones to capture the tragic moment.The list of 26 starts with Atul Srikant Mone. It ends with Yatish Bhai Sudhirbhai Pamar. Number 22 is that of Syed Adil Hussain Shah, a local pony rider who was killed while trying to save tourists during the attack.Ravi C, a tourist from Karnataka, said this was his first visit to Pahalgam and despite what had happened last year, he had come here. He was taking pictures of his young child, who was saluting the monument.Ayaan from Mumbai, who was traveling with his family, said the violence has not kept him away. “Incidents keep happening,” he said.Driver Kuldeep Singh from Punjab had brought the visitors from Punjab. They were also reading the names. Kantrajpa, a retired army officer from Bengaluru, said he wanted to see the place for himself. The attack hasn’t stopped him, he said.Tourism department officials at the tourist welcome center across the road said tourists have started returning to Pahalgam. He said there were almost no tourists at the resort in the four months after last year’s attack. “The hoteliers had closed their hotels. But with the continued efforts of the government, things have started improving,” an official said.Tourism infrastructure in the area remains adequate, with about 107 hotels, 100 guest houses and an equal number of homestays registered by the tourism department. However, officials say a large number of unregistered lodges are operating outside formal records.