Jahangeer Ganaie
Srinagar, Feb 14 : The initiatives of the tourism department to promote winter tourism in Pahalgam, the famous tourist destination in J&K, has started bearing fruits as the first time around 50,000 tourists have visited the spot in December and January month.
An official told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that despite the resurgence of Covid-19, for the first time the world famous destination has witnessed the brisk footfall of tourists in December and January months.
He said that in 2017, December witnessed a tourist footfall of 8,075 followed by 5,845 in December 2018, 3,592 in December 2019, 8,744 in December 2020 and 29,074 (several times more) tourists in December 2021.
He said that despite the third wave, the good influx of tourists continued in January as well as in January 2022 at least 20,785 tourists visited Pahalgam.
The figure is much more if we compare it with footfall of last few years as 3,020 tourists visited Pahalgam in January 2017, 17,548 in January 2018, 4,502 in January 2019, 3,573 in January 2020 and 15,001 in January 2021, he said.
Locals as well as hoteliers from Pahalgam have thanked the tourism department for promoting Pahalgam as a winter tourist destination.
They said that earlier most tourists were visiting Gulmarg only as whole focus was given towards Gulmarg but this year government has taken up various initiatives to promote winter tourism in Pahalgam which has bear fruits and has not only helped government in generating revenue but has also helped locals and hoteliers to earn their livelihood in winter too who otherwise were remaining jobless in winter months.
They said that this year they did a good business as two three rooms of every hotel are continuously remaining occupied this year while in previous year’s, they used to get bookings after weeks and some even after months—(KNO)
