Winter wonderland comes alive

There was disappointment all across for more than two months as the prolonged dry spell had led to the decline in the tourist footfall at the most visited place in winters—Gulmarg, which is known for skiing and other related activities. However, the five-day intermittent wet spell has cheered the local tourism players again as it has reported that nearly 20,000 people have visited the famous ski-resort in just six days period, indicating the eagerness of people with regard to visiting the place for the adventure and other sports activities. The number is persistently going up and there is a forecast of further wet spell after a week, which will bring more joy to the place. The number of visitors to the place is expected to increase in a week, as the famous spot is set to host the fourth edition of Khelo India Winter Games in which the people from different parts of the country and elsewhere are expected to participate. The event was postponed in wake of the prolonged dry spell and now is slated to be held from February 21 to February 26. At this juncture, the government needs to keep a close eye on the people, who are hell-bent to defame the hospitality for their vested interests. The teams from the civil administration must be deputed to the famous spot so that the people who are found charging exorbitant rates to the visitors for food, accommodation and other related things will be dealt with strictly. Amidst the boom in the tourism sector and also the increasing footfall at winter wonderland, the administration needs to gear up and make sure that the visitors will have a good experience in the Valley.