Ladakh’s tourism surge continues: Thailand, Vietnam and US lead foreign tourist arrivals

SRINAGAR: Tourist arrivals in Ladakh UT are up by 121% in May, the start of the region's peak tourism season, compared with the same month last year, according to a Ladakh administration statement issued Saturday.The statement said foreign tourist arrivals also rose by more than 15%, with visitors from Thailand, Vietnam and the United States emerging as the largest international groups. Tourists from Japan, the United Kingdom, Germany and France also continued to contribute significantly to the region's tourism sector.According to Ladakh LG Vinai Kumar Saxena, a series of reforms in the tourism sector and creation of tourist-friendly infrastructure and amenities has attributed this growth. “Initiatives like tourism sector reforms to reduce compliance burden, simplifying the cumbersome documentation and granting Industry status to hotels and guest houses in Ladakh, have developed confidence among tourism stakeholders, including hoteliers, guest house owners, tour operators.”The government said in May alone the UT welcomed 72,834 tourists in May 2026, compared to 32,927 tourists during May 2025, registering an unprecedented growth of 121.20%.Similarly, Ladakh received 1,17,546 tourists between January – May 2026, compared to 81,827 tourists during the corresponding period in 2025, registering a year-on-year growth of 43.65%. And compared to the period of January -May in 2024, when 51,520 visitors arrived in Leh, total arrivals in 2026, has marked an impressive 128% growth.Foreign tourist arrivals in the first five months of 2026 stood at 6,961, compared to 6026 foreign tourists from January – May 2025. Thailand (1,321), Vietnam (722), and the United States (642) have emerged as leading source countries."The remarkable increase in tourist arrivals in Ladakh this year, reflects the success of our collective efforts to promote Ladakh as a year-round destination. We have focused on strengthening infrastructure, improving connectivity, promoting winter tourism, adventure tourism, wildlife tourism, Astro tourism, eco-tourism and cultural tourism while ensuring sustainable development. This growth has brought renewed optimism and economic opportunities for tourism stakeholders across Ladakh," the LG said.