Road to Recovery: Kangra’s Tourism Surge Beats Post‑Covid Lows

It feels almost cinematic – the streets of Dharamshala humming with chatter, cafés spilling over with strangers sharing chai, and the once‑quiet hill‑top roads now thronged with scooters and tour buses. After years of covid‑related gloom, Kangra district has finally turned a corner.

Official figures released by the Himachal tourism department show that more than six lakh (600,000) tourists trekked through Kangra in the first half of 2026. That’s the highest half‑year tally since the pandemic first slammed travel plans across the world.

May alone painted a striking picture: about 1.25 lakh domestic visitors and 3,544 foreign tourists arrived – roughly double the domestic numbers and twice the overseas arrivals recorded in May 2025 (65,000 domestic and 1,750 foreign). June kept the momentum alive, with 1.53 lakh Indian travelers and 2,012 foreigners setting foot in the district, up from 1.15 lakh and 1,808 the previous year.

To put the recovery into perspective, the pandemic’s early shock hit Kangra hard. Tourist footfall plunged to a mere 1.59 lakh in the first half of 2020, slipped further to 1.02 lakh in 2021, and only began to climb again in 2022, reaching 1.89 lakh. Since then, the numbers have been on a steady climb – 3.3 lakh in 2023, 4.6 lakh in 2024, and 4.7 lakh in 2025 – but 2026 looks like a breakthrough.

Industry insiders point to an unexpected catalyst: the ongoing conflict in West Asia. "The war‑like situation abroad made many Indians rethink overseas trips and explore our own hills instead," explains Vinay Dhiman, the tourism development officer for Kangra. He adds that while the conflict curbed outbound travel, it also nudged a surprising number of foreign visitors to choose Kangra as a safer, scenic alternative.

"Even with the tensions, we saw foreign arrivals rise," Dhiman notes. "Had the situation been calmer, those numbers could have been even higher. The overall boost this year is undeniable."

Beyond the usual mountain treks, Kangra is now capitalising on niche attractions. Dharamshala and its neighboring McLeod ganj – home to the 14th Dalai Lama – continue to draw spiritual seekers. At the same time, the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association stadium is making headlines as a picture‑perfect venue for IPL and international matches, turning the region into a budding sports‑tourism hub. And let’s not forget Bir Billing, proudly wearing the title of India’s paragliding capital.

Local hoteliers are feeling the ripple effect. "For the first time since Covid, we’re experiencing a genuine boom," says Ashwani Bamba, president of the Dharamshala Hotel Association. He credits the West Asia unrest for steering domestic tourists inland, but also flags a nagging issue: "Our roads, especially the stretch linking Dharamshala to McLeod ganj, are in a sorry state. They’ve been neglected for over a year, causing real inconvenience. If we want this momentum to last, infrastructure must catch up."

In short, Kangra is buzzing again – cafés are full, the air is scented with pine and fresh baked goods, and the hum of conversation suggests a region eager to rewrite its post‑pandemic story.