Srinagar- Even as the picturesque Gulmarg witnessed a grand New Year celebration, featuring a sequence of musical events, hundreds of tourists—both domestic and international—were dismayed by the absence of snowfall in the health resort.
The anticipated white blanket that tourists were eager to witness remained elusive, leaving them disappointed. The department of tourism had invited a number of singers including Aabha Hanjura, Adil Gurezi and Afaq Shafi, who enthralled the audience with their performance at the Golf Course.
“Even though we enjoyed it a lot, we came here (Gulmarg) to witness the snowfall but it wasn’t there,” said Rakesh Kumar, a tourist from Maharashtra.
Kumar, who arrived in Gulmarg on December 30, said that he had never experienced snowfall before. He had promised his family of four to celebrate the New Year in Kashmir
“But still we had a good time. Everything was perfect,” he added.
Notably, the valley is yet to receive any major snowfall of the season. The cold wave has swept across Kashmir with weathermen predicting no snowfall as of now.
“The dry spell may continue till January 10th.As of now, we can’t predict any major snowfall,” Mukhtar Ahmad, Director Meteorological Department Srinagar, told Kashmir Observer.
Pertinent to mention, the valley is witnessing a massive footfall of tourists, especially in Gulmarg, Sonmarg, Pahalgam and other tourist destinations. A number of hotels were sold out for Christmas and New Year in the first week of December.
The authorities have made adequate arrangements to enhance winter tourism; however, a number of tourists visit Kashmir specifically for the allure of snowfall.
Gulmarg is a world-famous skiing resort, attracting hundreds of national and international skiers who travel to Kashmir for skiing adventures.
“So far a number of bookings have been canceled by the international skiers and if the situation remains the same, nobody will come here this season for skiing,” said Farhat Naik, a snowboarding instructor in Gulmarg.
On Sunday, Naik posted a video on X (previously Twitter) showing snowless scenes of Gulmarg. “It’s heartbreaking to see Gulmarg in such conditions during this time of the year, especially if you have never witnessed something like this before. Indeed, the weather patterns have been quite erratic & unpredictable in recent years, leading to unusual occurrences like this,” he posted.
He said that the skiers have canceled the January slot as of now, and if there is snowfall, they might consider coming in February.
“Domestic tourists visit for the scenic beauty, while international tourists come for adventure, which is only possible with enough snowfall,” he added.
Shareef Ahmad Dar, Manager of Hotel Grand Mumtaz, told Kashmir Observer that tourists expressed disappointment upon witnessing the absence of snow in Gulmarg.
“They enjoyed a lot but snow brings a separate charm and it will eventually impact our business,” Dar said.
The hoteliers are hopeful for a major snowfall in coming weeks so that they could see a successful winter tourism season.
“Both the events were successful. The authorities had made a good arrangement, but snow could have added to the charm,” said Aqib Chaya, who runs Hotel Hilltop in Gulmarg.
Wasim Raja, Chief Executive Officer, Tourism Development Authority, Gulmarg told Kashmir Observer that the snow is in the hands of God and they can’t do anything about it.
“Gulmarg had experienced snowfall earlier, but it melted over time. We are expecting a major snowfall after January 10,” Raja added.
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