Waris Fayaz
Gulmarg, Oct 23: The famed ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district is gearing up to welcome both domestic and international tourists for the upcoming winter tourism season. Officials said they expect a significant influx of visitors this winter.
Nestled in the Pir Panjal Range in the Western Himalayas, Gulmarg, a popular tourist and skiing destination in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, is located approximately 32 kilometres from the district headquarters, Baramulla, and 50 kilometres from the capital city, Srinagar. It holds a special place in the hearts of winter sports enthusiasts and offers much to entice tourists from around the world.
It is worth mentioning here that Gulmarg played host to the grand 3rd edition of the Khelo India Winter Games on February 10, 2023. The event featured more than 1500 athletes representing 29 states, union territories, and institutional teams, showcasing 11 winter sports disciplines. These included skiing, curling, bobsleigh, skeleton, snowshoe, Nordic skiing, snowboarding, ski mountaineering, ice skating, ice hockey, and bandy.
In a post-preparedness meeting, Secretary Tourism, Dr Syed Abid Rashid Shah expressed optimism about the forthcoming winter tourism season, expecting a substantial influx of tourists. He highlighted the diverse tourism potential of Gulmarg, which offers adventure tourism, golf tourism, and even wedding destination tourism.
Dr Abid said that border tourism in Jammu and Kashmir has significant potential, with destinations like Keran, Gurez, Teetwal, Karnah, and Kaman Post Uri witnessing a high influx of tourists. “Efforts are underway to promote these destinations on national and international scales,” he said.
The Secretary Tourism said that for the upcoming winter season, preparations in Gulmarg are in full swing. “These include route clearance, skiing, snow management, and cable car operations,” he said, adding that the focus is on ensuring convenience for tourists, both locals and non-locals, to prevent any inconveniences.
“Steps are being taken to ensure that tourists – locals as well as non-locals – do not face any inconvenience,” he added.
District Development Commissioner Baramulla, Dr Syed Sehrish Asgar also conducted a late-night visit to Tangmarg to identify additional parking spaces to ease the convenience of tourists and the general public. The move was aimed at addressing the persistent parking issues at the famous destination.
