TOURISTS RETURN?

After 18 months of hiatus, the tourist footfalls have started surging in Kashmir. Insiders in the hospitality sector believe that if Gulmarg crowds are an indication, Kashmir may have a better tourist year, reports Khalid Bashir Gura

- Khalid Bashir Gura

The six-month-long lockdown following reading down of Article 370 on August 5, 2019 and the pandemic of 2020 battered the tourism industry in Kashmir. But this winter after a heavy snowfall the tourism industry has started to revive, much to people’s respite whose livelihood is dependent on it.

January witnessed a flurry of domestic tourists flooding places like Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Sonmarg in larger numbers than previous winters. Gulmarg, which is a much-preferred winter destination, remained crowded and busy with unprecedented tourist footfall, promotional events, adventure tourism, Bollywood celebs visits, winter sports, and recreational activities.

IMPRESSIVE GULMARG

Javed-ul-Rehman, Assistant Director Tourism, Gulmarg, said that they held tourism promotional activities in many parts of the country, especially after the Covid-19 lockdown was eased since October. Since December, the department also held more than 25 such activities in Kashmir including live musical events, the celebration of New Year, sports events and cultural events.

“Khelo India conducted by J&K sports council had to change dates three times because of lack of accommodation. The hotels are packed,” Rehman said. He hopes the rush continues through spring and summer.

The tourism department, however, is apprehensive about the sustaining the winter footfalls once the international travel restrictions due to the pandemic are eased.

Officials said last year, 98,757 tourists visited Gulmarg, in which 54, 821 were local, 41,562 domestic and 2374 foreigners. This year, in January alone, a total of 46383 tourists visited the place in which 27452 were locals and 18931 were domestic. No foreign tourists visited the place, according to data.