Ladakh opens skies wider for Apricot Blossom Festival
Nature lovers and photographers headed to Ladakh this season to witness the Apricot Blossom festival, climb rugged mountains, offer prayers inside Buddhist monasteries, and explore thrilling trekking routes, can no longer have to wait for longer durations to book their air tickets. The Union Territory administration in Ladakh has given a major boost to air connectivity by enhancing the number of flights from eight to 18 per day.
“Ladakh is all set to welcome a larger number of visitors than before. Pleased to announce a major boost to air connectivity with Leh, as the tourist season begins in Ladakh,” Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena said on Sunday.
“With our concerted efforts, the flight operations at Leh Airport have significantly increased from eight flights to 18 flights a day, as on April 2, connecting major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Srinagar and Chandigarh. Two more flights are expected to begin operations soon, thereby providing greater flexibility to visitors to plan their journey,” the LG took to X.
The LG said the increased flight operations, resulting in enhanced tourist footfall, will boost Ladakh’s tourism sector, create local livelihood and position Ladakh as a convenient, sought-after tourist destination. “This season, visit Ladakh for an unforgettable experience,” Saxena reiterated.
Meanwhile, stakeholders from Ladakh’s tourism sector and civil society groups have adopted a resolution voicing concern over the increasing entry of outside investors and seeking to safeguard the region’s fragile ecosystem.
The resolution, adopted at a joint meeting of the Ladakh Travel Trade Alliance and civil society groups on Saturday, emphasised that the tourism sector should remain primarily reserved for local stakeholders to ensure ownership and decision-making remain within the community.
It was signed by representatives of over a dozen groups, including the Ladakh Travel Trade Alliance, All Ladakh Adventure and Tour Operators Association, All Ladakh Hotel and Guest House Association, Ladakh Taxi Cooperative Society, Maxi Cab Operators Cooperative Society and Ladakh Bike Rental Cooperative Society.
It was also endorsed by civil society groups such as the Ladakh Buddhist Association, Ladakh Gonpa Association, Anjuman-e-Moin-ul-Islam, Anjuman Imamia, Christian Association Leh and the Goba Association.
The Ladakh unit of the Indian National Congress also endorsed the two-page resolution, which called for preserving the region as a unique and sensitive tourist destination, with development aligned with its ecological limits and cultural heritage.
The resolution said Ladakh lies deep in the Indian Himalayas and for centuries remained geographically isolated, connected only by high mountain passes.
“As a cold desert with limited natural resources, Ladakh represents an extremely fragile ecosystem, marked by harsh winters and a short working season, remaining cut off from the rest of the country for several months each year.
