Kashmir is divided between India and Pakistan, which both claim fully, and had been plagued by years of insurgent violence. Tourism is the backbone of the Kashmir valley's economy and has been promoted heavily by the government and Indian airlines. But some Kashmir hardliners have derided the influx as a cultural invasion by visitors from the rest of mostly Hindu India. Tourist operators, taxi drivers, and other people involved in the industry condemned the attack and lost business at the start of the summer rush. "Leaving behind the earlier difficult days, our Kashmir is now regaining its identity as a paradise on earth," he said.
