Pahalgam witnesses surge in tourist flow during winter
Over 4.5 lakh tourists visited Pahalgam this year: Officials
Pahalgam: Perhaps it is for the first time that the famed tourist spot ‘Pahalgam’ located in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district is witnessing a huge surge in tourist flow during winters.
Hoteliers from the Pahalgam said that this is for first time that they are witnessing such a surge in flow of tourists in Pahalgam during winters.
They said that usually tourist footfall remains quite high in summer season in Pahalgam and they used to sit idle in winters.
“But this year there is huge rush which has brought cheers for the people associated with tourism trade in Pahalgam,” one of the hoteliers said.
“Our hotels are fully occupied like summer as tourists from different states are arriving here on eve of new year celebration besides other events organised by department of Tourism,” they said.
Tourism officials also maintain that hotels in Pahalgam are jam-packed for the last several days.
They said that it is difficult go get a room in Pahalgam as all rooms have been booked already as just A and B class hotels remain operational during winters in Pahalgam.
The officials said that the department is organizing events to welcome tourists from all over India and pass a message that Kashmir is always ready to host the guests.
“Earlier events were being organized in Gulmarg only as much of the activities in winters remaining confined to Gulmarg only but now all other major destinations have been kept open which has increased the tourist flow,” Ajaz Ahamd, a hotelier said.
Meanwhile, an official the tourism department said that the current year recorded over 4.5 lakh tourist arrivals in Pahalgam which includes 306 foreign tourists, 2.4 lakh domestic tourists and 2.3 lakh local visitors.
Jahangeer Ganaie
