J&K stakeholders for Snow Festivals to attract tourists for winter

SRINAGAR: The J&K Tourism Department held a two-day Houseboat Festival last week on the banks of Dal Lake and adjacent Nigeen Lake, to promote winter tourism here. Secretary Tourism Sarmad Hafeez, while talking to this newspaper, said that the festival was held as a start of winter tourism and expressed hope that after the snowfall, there would be huge footfall of tourists across Kashmir valley and the tourists’ rush would not be confined to Gulmarg alone.
In the previous years, the ski resort of Gulmarg has remained the only winter destination in Kashmir available for tourists to enjoy snow and the beauty of skiing in a resort. “This winter, we have kept not only hundreds of houseboats, but also tourist destinations like Pahalgam, Kokernag, Doodhpathri, Yousmarg and Sonmarg, open for tourists. All these places, along with a dozen offbeat destinations, are waiting to host the tourists this winter,” Sarmad Hafeez said.
In the current year, according to the official figures, 23 lakh tourists have visited so far and they are expecting a lot of tourists during the current winter season, as they have kept dozens of tourist destinations open with helicopter services for interested tourists. Tourists can go this winter to the snow bound hilly areas like Gurez, Lolab, Karnah if they wish by helicopter services.
“The two-day Houseboat Festival on the banks of Dal and Nigeen Lakes has already added to the bookings for stay in the houseboats in the coming weeks,” said Sheikh Nisar Ahmad who is running a tour and travel agency in Srinagar. In the winters, Dal and Nigeen Lakes remain half frozen due to severe cold and the tourism officials are expecting a lot of bookings for stay in the houseboats, especially at the year end and Christmas festivals.
Sarmad Hafeez said that they are soon going to start ski courses in Gulmarg and also at Yousmarg and Doodhpathri tourist spots. He said that ski courses would be held at Sonmarg also as all the arrangements to host the tourists at Sonmarg in the current winter season have been put in place. He said that they will also organize a cross-country skiing festival at Doodhpathri in Budgam district to promote this tourist destination. He said: “We are trying to promote winter tourism in a big way with the help of different festivals so that more tourist arrivals are witnessed across Kashmir.”
According to the Houseboat Owners’ Association of Kashmir, they are expecting huge occupancy in their houseboats around Christmas and New Year. There are around 1,200 registered houseboats on the waters of Dal Lake, Nigeen Lake and River Jhelum. If nature is benevolent and there are frequent snowfalls this winter, Kashmir is going to witness a huge rush of tourists which may break the previous records of tourist arrivals to Kashmir during this season.