With winter setting in across Kashmir, tourism stakeholders are anxiously awaiting the season’s first major snowfall, hoping it will breathe life into the valley’s struggling tourism sector.
Industry representatives said tourism activity in the valley remains sluggish, with hotel occupancy dipping to single digits in several areas.
Mushtaq Chaya, president of the Jammu and Kashmir Hoteliers Association (JKHA), told that occupancy across Kashmir currently hovers between five and seven per cent. “This is almost negligible. We are hopeful that the first major snowfall will play a crucial role in bringing tourists back to the valley,” he said.
Echoing similar concerns, Rauf Tramboo, president of the Adventure Tour Operators Association of Kashmir (ATOAK), said timely snowfall is essential for reviving winter tourism. “Hotels across the valley have very low occupancy at present. However, events like the Gulmarg Winter Games, coupled with fresh snowfall, can act as major attractions for tourists,” he said.
