Winter tourism to spread in border areas, off-beat destinations in Kashmir

SRINAGAR: Encouraged by the healthy footfall of tourists during the current autumn season, the J&K administration has decided to open up inaccessible snow-bound areas for tourists during the coming winter season. A senior tourism department official of J&K government said that tourists would be encouraged to visit snow bound Sonmarg, Gurez in Bandipora district near the Line of Control and also to Keran and Karnah in the Kupwara district which is very near to the border. Recently, the Union Civil Aviation Minister had said in Srinagar that helicopter services for tourists would be made available in all the Himalayan states, including Jammu and Kashmir. According to the tourism department of Jammu and Kashmir, the places which would be kept open for the winter destinations of Kashmir valley will include the new tourist destinations recently included in the tourism map and they would like tourists to explore new skiing places like Sonmarg and Gurez. The J&K administration had already instructed the tourism department to keep the tourist destinations of Doodhpathri and Yusmarg in Budgam district and Pahalgam resort in Anantnag district open for the winter months with all facilities for tourists to enjoy snow at these places. Hoteliers and agents are upbeat following the decision of the J&K administration to open new areas for winter tourists as there used to be no room available at Gulmarg, the only winter destination which used to remain open for tourists in Kashmir. Travel Agents Association of Kashmir has said that new winter destinations apart from Gulmarg will give a boost to tourism in valley.