Visitors hail valley as ‘heaven on earth’, over 87,000 arrivals in January so far; authorities warn against venturing into avalanche-prone areas
Waris Fayaz / Raja Syed Rather
Srinagar, Jan 28 :
Fresh snowfall has sent occupancy rates soaring at Kashmir’s top winter destinations, with Gulmarg hotels jammed at 100% while Sonamarg reaches 70%, as tourists from across India and beyond swarm the snow-blanketed valley.
Declaring “no place like Valley snow”, exhilarated visitors hailed destinations as unmatched, even surpassing international spots.
Gujarat skier Khusboo, a regular visitor, speaking to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) said she has tried skiing in many destinations, but prefers Gulmarg over other places. “It’s truly heaven on earth,” she said.
Similarly, a group of Punjab residents, concluding a six-day skiing adventure in Gulmarg urged natives to visit and witness the snow-covered mountains.
“There’s no match to Gulmarg,” they declared.
“It has been an unexpected joy and happiness. We enjoyed skiing and Gondola ride. The people here are awesome, and the weather has no comparison,” first-timer Sania Mirza beamed.
CEO Gulmarg Development Authority (GDA) Tariq Hussain, said they have invited adventure seekers to experience winter thrills. He confirmed hotels at 100% occupancy post-snowfall.
“Visit Gulmarg and feel the thrill of winter adventure activities. Gulmarg belongs to every tourist for whom it is the first choice for skiing and other snow activities,” he said.
Stressing safety, the CEO advised visitors to ensure cooperation with authorities and use only the specified ski tracks for skiing.
Meanwhile, Sonamarg saw a similar post-snowfall surge, with hotels at over 70% occupancy. From January 1 to 27, the destination welcomed 87,693 visitors, with 77,200 domestic tourists, 1,225 foreigners and 9,268 locals.
Tourist flow picked up pace amid the white carpet; however, the unscheduled power cuts have surfaced. The stakeholders have urged the administration to ensure uninterrupted facilities to enhance tourist comfort.
On Tuesday night, a minor avalanche occurred with minimal impact and no loss of life, according to officials.
Police reiterated warnings for the public and tourists to strictly avoid avalanche-prone areas—(KNO)