Kashmir: Early snowfall triggers tourist influx
Visitors are making a beeline, particularly to the ski resort of Gulmarg in North Kashmir, after a relatively dry winter last year. Last winter, Gulmarg saw snowfall by the end of January.
Early snowfall has covered Kashmir’s mountains, drawing tourists and adventurists to the valley. On Thursday, the valley’s plains, including the outskirts of summer capital Srinagar, witnessed season’s first (light) snowfall. The mountains have been experiencing intermittent bouts of light snow spells since November 11.
Visitors are making a beeline, particularly to the ski resort of Gulmarg in North Kashmir, after a relatively dry winter last year.“ Gulmarg is filling up with tourists because of the snowfall. Bookings have increased a lot after the snowfall as the tourists were hesitant owing to dry weather and very late snowfall last winter,” said Akib Chaya, president of Hoteliers Club Gulmarg.
Last winter, Gulmarg saw snowfall by the end of January. Chaya said the next three weeks would be a boom from tourism point of view.
“From December 20 to January 5, Gulmarg will be fully booked owing to Christmas and New Year celebrations. There are also queries for the January month as well,” he said.
As against 2022 and 2023, the tourism season this year in Kashmir valley was very lean in the backdrop of back-to-back parliamentary and assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir and deterioration in security situation.
“Snowfall has lifted Kashmir’s lean tourism year to some extent after the election-related slump. People are now coming to Pahalgam, Sonamarg besides the usual Gulmarg ski resort,” said Sajad Kralyari, a tour and travel operator from Srinagar.
“The bookings are happening from south India including Chennai, Bangalore besides Mumbai,” he said.
The government has also planned some winter activities in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The Khelo India winter games will be held in two parts – first from January 23 to 27 in Ladakh and then in J&K from February 22 to 25.
“Khelo India will be held in Gulmarg while there will also be skiing courses by youth services and sports facilitated by tourism department,” said assistant director tourism Bilal Ahmad. The tourism players are also hopeful of a further push by railway inauguration and Khelo India.
“We expect a further increase in tourists this winter as Prime Minister is expected to inaugurate a train on January 26 which will connect us directly with rest of the country,” said Chaya.