Holiday cancellations increase, though predictions for snow, rains appear

Incessant dry weather conditions sans snowfall is distracting tourists and also triggering them cancelling their trip plans to Kashmir and other snow-bound areas like Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

“There have been about 70% cancellations in the month of January and a huge number of tourists have put their plan of visit to Kashmir on hold,” Rayees Ahmad one the local travel agents said.

Most of the ski lovers who have planned their stay in the resorts of Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Sonmarg have cancelled their bookings.

“If there is heavy snowfall, many foreign tourists who visit for skiing will come as they have deferred their plans for time being” said Rouf Tramboo who is heading Travel Agents Association of Kashmir.

As people of Kashmir are waiting for rains and snow, the tourist industry is waiting for its fingers crossed as half of the winter season is over.

Moreover, there is little hope that tourist season will gain pace this winter.