CS Ashish Kundra pitches ‘New Tourism Vision’ for Ladakh at Tourism Summit 2026

LEH: Ladakh must chart a tourism trajectory that leverages its extraordinary landscapes, cultural diversity and adventure potential without succumbing to the pressures of mass tourism, Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra said while presenting the Union Territory’s tourism vision at Tourism Summit 2026 in Chennai on Tuesday.

Addressing the session “Culture, Nature, Adventure – Travels to the Top of the World”, Kundra said Ladakh’s tourism identity needed to go beyond the conventional image of Buddhist monasteries and high-altitude landscapes and embrace the region’s wider cultural traditions, adventure experiences and emerging forms of tourism.

Making a strong case for a distinct tourism model for the Himalayan UT, Kundra cautioned against chasing tourist numbers at the cost of Ladakh’s fragile ecology and character. “Ladakh is not a place for mass tourism. We can never aspire to become Goa,” he said, underlining that the objective should instead be to build a tourism model rooted in Ladakh’s own identity.

“Aspirationally, it can be Ladakh which is itself,” Kundra said, signalling the administration’s emphasis on responsible, experiential and sustainable tourism rather than volume-driven tourism.

Kundra highlighted the cultural plurality of Ladakh, describing the region as a “melting pot of cultures” whose heritage extends beyond its Buddhist monastic traditions.

He pointed to Ladakh’s historical position along the Silk Route and the evidence of centuries of cultural interaction visible in its ancient petroglyphs. The inscriptions and carvings, he noted, include Tibetan, Chinese and Arabic scripts, reflecting the region’s historical links and exchanges along the trans-Himalayan trade routes.

He also highlighted the sā Ladakh Biennale 2026 as an example of how contemporary art can create new cultural tourism circuits. The event brought young Ladakhi artists and international art curators together for outdoor installations along the Leh-Kargil corridor, generating interest within the art community and organically drawing visitors to different locations.

The Chief Secretary’s emphasis on cultural diversity comes against the backdrop of the administration’s broader efforts to connect tourism with local livelihoods, entrepreneurship and cultural preservation. Earlier this year, he had stressed in Kargil that tourism could boost the local economy but must be developed without compromising Zanskar’s “rich and organic cultural heritage” and originality.

Kundra also sought to position Ladakh as a year-round adventure destination, citing experiences ranging from the Chadar Trek on the frozen Zanskar River and ice hockey to the 122-km Silk Route Challenge. He also referred to the Pangong Frozen Lake Marathon, which offers visitors an unusual winter experience on the frozen lake and illustrates the scope for developing tourism beyond Ladakh’s traditional summer season.

The administration has increasingly been promoting such winter and adventure offerings. The 2026 Pangong Frozen Lake Marathon, held in February, featured races in extreme high-altitude conditions and was organised with the support of the UT administration and other stakeholders.

The Chief Secretary also highlighted improvements in connectivity as an important enabler for tourism expansion. He pointed to road infrastructure improvements and better links to areas including Siachen and Drass, while stating that a new terminal at Leh airport was expected to open in October, with flight capacity expected to increase further next year.

While pitching new tourism opportunities, Kundra placed equal emphasis on environmental safeguards, making it clear that tourism expansion cannot be separated from ecological protection.

He said local communities themselves were conscious of the need for conservation and preservation of the environment, while the administration had strengthened waste segregation and management as well as enforcement against plastic waste.