Mubashir Aalam Wani
Srinagar, Jun 10: Mumtaz Ahmad, recently started his venture of offering warm clothes to tourists visiting the highest skiing altitude- Gulmarg.
His business is doing well given that the temperature on the second phase of Gulmarg tends to be low, following which his clothes have a good demand.
Ahmad’s outlet is not the only one as many such ventures have opened at Tangmarg- the base state of Gulmarg.
“This was one of the biggest problems being faced by our guests. So, many outlets have opened in Tangmarg, which offer warm clothes to the tourists in all the season to enjoy their comfortable stay in Gulmarg where temperature dips during night and winter season, ” Ahmad said.
Many businesses have thrived in Kashmir for the last few years as tourist flow to Kashmir started breaking records.
From transportation to tent rentals, educated youth in the valley have set up their ventures, which have been scripting success.
Rental services for bikes and other recreational vehicles have witnessed a sharp uptick in business. Tourists are eager to explore the valleys and mountains on two wheels, driving demand for rental services.
Kashmir Travelogue is one such business which came up in 2016 and has been witnessing immense response till now. Thirty-year-old Faisal Nazir Mir, founder of ‘ Kashmir Travelogue,’ forayed into the business in 2016 and there is no looking back.
“We offer bikes, particularly Royal Enfield, and scooters, which are good for off-road and road trips. We have a good demand and most tourists including foreigners hire them to explore the valley. There is a thrill in two-wheeled exploration,” said Inayat Ahmad, who also overlooks the venture.
Suheem Ahmad a Baramulla -based youth also started a tourism related venture. He offers tents and other hiking equipment for rent to trekking enthusiasts.
Suheem said his business has grown much more than his expectations given the new trend among the youth of Kashmir and tourists to hike in the mountains of the valley.
“The demand is such that it didn’t require me to advertise my business on social media and newspapers this year. Locals, as well as tourists, are visiting our office in numbers to rent out tents and other camping equipment. Though I started my business in 2016, demand for our services has grown for the last few years,” he said.
“We have started offering other services including managing trekking tours for tourists as well as locals. Even schools who go out camping during summer vacations, utilise our services” he said.
