Snowfall boosts Kashmirs tourism, drawing crowds to Gulmarg and Sonamarg

Snowfall in Kashmir makes visitors and tourism industry participants in Gulmarg and Sonamarg happy.Snowfall in Kashmir has lifted spirits in the travel and tourism sector, igniting happiness among travelers and locals associated with the travel industry.The lack of a big snowfall over the past few months has damaged the sector, with many would-be tourists canceling their plans and tour companies receiving little to no inquiries.The lack of snowfall has resulted in a decrease in the number of tourists visiting the valley, which is unusual given the popularity of destinations like Gulmarg. This has concerned the region's tourism stakeholders.But the snowfall at Chilla-i-Kalan's fag-end, a 40-day severe winter period when the likelihood of snowfall is highest and most often, has cheered both travelers and tourism industry participants.At the resorts of Sonamarg and Gulmarg, hundreds of visitors—including kids—have been taking advantage of the snowfall."After looking at the weather, we decided to postpone our trip, even though we had tickets for January 23. On January 25, we arrived, and we were fortunate to witness the snowfall. Sonamarg was the first place where we saw snowfall, then Gulmarg followed suit. Aninda and Deotima, a tourist couple from Kolkata, exclaimed, "We are so happy to be here," at Gulmarg.They claimed that after snowfall, Kashmir truly appears to be a paradise. After the snowfall, Maharashtra visitor Mohammad Imran claimed he went back to the Gulmarg resort."Two days ago, the earth appeared empty and there was nothing." By God's goodness, snow has fallen, and we are happy to be here. We returned from Srinagar when we heard there was snowfall in Gulmarg," he remarked.Aryan, a teenage traveler from Bangalore who traveled to Kashmir with his sister and parents, described the experience as wonderful. "It feels wonderful. He remarked, taking in the snowfall, "It looks like heaven."At Sonamarg, Ankit Makane, one of a group of fifteen tourists from Mumbai, relished playing in the snow. It actually does feel like heaven. Kashmir is incredibly gorgeous, and the locals are truly remarkable. We had a great time," he remarked.Not only have the tourists been cheered up, but the snowfall has also made the local tourism industry happy. We are grateful for the snowfall. In addition to increasing tourism, it is essential for survival, thus we are extremely glad about it, according to Parvaiz Ahmad, a local Gulmarg tourism service provider.

Another stakeholder, Abdul Rashid, stated that although the recent two months' protracted dry period had impacted the earnings of private service providers, the snowfall has been a godsend. "There hasn't been much work over the last two months. Snowfall has brought in more visitors, and snow-related events have begun, according to Rashid.When there was no snowfall at well-known tourist destinations like Sonamarg and Gulmarg, visitors would flock to locations like Sinthan Top, which connects the Anantnag region with Kishtwar and is blanketed in snow for the majority of the year. Authorities have, in the meantime, cautioned visitors and residents going to Sonamarg and Gulmarg. Due to the slick conditions following snowfall, they have stated that only 4X4 vehicles and those equipped with anti-skid chains would be permitted to proceed towards Gulmarg and Sonamarg.The Meteorological Department has predicted that there will likely be light to moderate rain or snow in various areas of the Union Territory during the next two days, with the likelihood of heavy snowfall in a few higher reaches, including the districts of Kupwara, Bandipora, Baramulla, Ganderbal, Shopian, Kulgam, and Anantnag.