Raja Syed Rather
Ganderbal, Jan 31: Following an extended dry spell, the recent snowfall has breathed life into the tourism sector.
The tourism sector experienced a slump due to absence of snow in hill resorts like Gulmarg and Sonamarg with cancellation of bookings.
With the season’s snow, locals are jubilant that it holds significant economic importance for them.
They were praying for more snow to sustain their livelihood.
CEO Sonamarg Development Authority (SDA) Dr Ilyas Ahmad said that tourists are enjoying snowfall with Sonamarg covered under one foot of snow.
“For winter sports like skiing, however, we need more snowfall. It is hoped that further snowfall is coming soon based on the weather report that we are monitoring,” he added.
The Snowshoe Federation of India and the Snowshoe Association of Kashmir are planning a national event for February.
“To that aim, we have looked at the most fundamental facilities, including lodging, etc. Many tourists had to reschedule their trips because there hadn’t been any snowfall in the days before, and Sonamarg’s tourism industry has seen a rise in demand following the most recent snowfall,” he said.
