Leh: Ladakh recorded 3.30 lakh tourist arrivals between January and July 2026, already reaching 98.35 per cent of the total tourist footfall registered during the whole of 2025, reflecting a strong growth in the Union Territory’s tourism sector.
Official figures show that 3,30,332 tourists visited Ladakh during the first seven months of 2026, compared with 3,35,872 arrivals recorded in the entire calendar year 2025.
The highest influx was witnessed in June and July, when more than 2.12 lakh tourists visited the region, accounting for nearly 65 per cent of the total arrivals this year.
In July, Ladakh received 1,05,046 tourists, up 56.15 per cent from 67,273 visitors during the corresponding month last year. The arrivals included 95,416 domestic and 9,630 foreign tourists.
June also registered a sharp increase, with 1,07,740 tourist arrivals against 75,089 in June 2025, marking a growth of 43.48 per cent. Of these, 1,01,060 were domestic tourists and 6,680 were foreign visitors.
Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena attributed the rise in tourist arrivals to improved infrastructure, better connectivity and growing domestic tourism.
He said Ladakh’s achievement of crossing the one-lakh tourist mark in two consecutive months was an encouraging milestone and stressed the need to balance tourism growth with environmental conservation and preservation of the region’s cultural heritage.
The tourism season was boosted by events such as the Hemis Festival, Pratham Sindhu Kumbh, Ladakh Astro Week 2026 and Phyang Tsedup, which attracted visitors interested in culture, spirituality and adventure tourism.
Data showed that of the 3.30 lakh tourists who visited Ladakh this year, 1.57 lakh arrived by air, 1.16 lakh entered through the Kashmir route and over 56,000 travelled via the Manali route.
Officials said the increase in tourist footfall coincides with major improvements in connectivity infrastructure since Ladakh became a Union Territory. The road network has expanded from 1,799 kilometres in 2019 to over 4,200 kilometres in 2026, while the number of bridges has increased from 19 to 72.
The number of homestays has also risen significantly, from 128 in 2019 to 2,275 in 2026, creating new livelihood opportunities for local communities.
Authorities said tourism-friendly reforms, including simplification of procedures and granting industry status to hotels and guest houses, have further strengthened confidence among tourism stakeholders.
