Gulmarg expands its sports menu, expects more tourist footfall

Snow-filled Gulmarg is waiting for tourists, especially those who enjoy skiing and has added snow-sculpting to its list of activities to ensure more foot-fall. Good snowfall has increased the hope of the tourism industry in Kashmir for an adequate tourist footfall after a rather dry season in 2016 because of months of unrest. The government too has taken a slew of measures including road shows in various parts of the country to woo tourists to the valley.

Local artists in Gulmarg have created snow-sculptures that reflect the rich culture and heritage of Kashmir. Snow-sculpting has been introduced in Gulmarg for the first time and many artistes and students of the Department of Fine Arts in University of Kashmir have made this possible.

Young artistes have been overwhelmed by the response of tourists and art lovers who visited Gulmarg after the ski resort received heavy snowfall recently. The artistes want to invite national and international artistes to Gulmarg to try their art on snow. Director of Tourism, Kashmir, Mehmood Shah told this newspaper that they have started the snow-carnival as a call to all nature lovers to come to Kashmir. He said that they have a lot of hopes after the recent snowfall that winter tourism will pick up this season. 

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, while inaugurating the snow festival at Gulmarg, appreciated the work of the local artistes. She said their work will draw tourists to Kashmir.  Ice hockey matches were also played and the first match in the ice rink was watched by the CM along with her many colleagues and senior officers. 

In the 15-day snow carnival, J&K Tourism Department has kept a series of activities like skiing, snow-mobile rally, snow-rugby, night skiing under lights and ice-hockey, etc., to bring back tourism to Kashmir. The presence of Bollywood celebrities like Javed Jaffrey, Imran Khan and Ilyas Kazmi has rekindled the hopes that the film crews may come to Gulmarg for shooting.