Valley smiles again: 6.5 lakh tourists arrived this year, highest in decade; Great booking of hotels and house boats

There is heavy snowfall in Gulmarg, Kashmir. There is 3 feet of snow in the plains. However, the roads have been cleared for the movement of tourists.

The tourism industry of the country and the world may have collapsed due to the restrictions of Corona, but the Kashmir Valley was buzzing with tourists. Statistics show that Kashmir received over 6.5 lakh tourists in 2021, the largest number in a decade. Despite the threat of a new variant of Corona and increasing restrictions, a large number of people are reaching the valley to celebrate the new year.

According to the tourism department, 93 thousand tourists came in October this year and in November the figure increased to 1.27 lakh. In the last month of the year, the number of tourists reached 1.30 lakh, with two days left. This is the highest figure in 10 years. Earlier in the year 2011, more than 13 lakh tourists including Amarnath Yatris had reached Kashmir. At the same time, since 2012, the number of annual tourists has remained less than six lakhs.

Amarnath Yatra is not happening for the last two years due to Kovid. While 1.27 lakh tourists visited the Valley this November, there were 6,327 tourists in 2020, 12,086 in 2019 and 33,720 in 2018. Bashir Ahmed, manager of a hotel in Gulmarg, told that all the hotels in Gulmarg are 100% full by the end of January. There are 3000 rooms in 70 hotels in Gulmarg and 6000 rooms in 110 hotels in Pahalgam. There are also hundreds of huts and guesthouses. Yet all are full.

Tourists are coming here not going abroad

Travel agent John Mohamed says that people who could not go to celebrate Christmas and New Year in Switzerland and Dubai are coming to the valley. A large number of tourists have booked house boats in Dal Lake and ski resorts in Gulmarg. Mumbai-based businessman Sunil Kapoor says that usually I used to go to Dubai on New Year with family. This time we have come to Kashmir. GN Ittu, Director, Department of Tourism, said that road shows and programs were organized in many states to attract tourists. The benefit of this is visible.

There is no room in hotels in Uttarakhand till January 5, 85% loss till September is indicated

The tourism industry of Uttarakhand is also going to compensate for the economic loss caused by Kovid. Hotels, home stays and government guest houses are almost full in most of the hill stations of the state. In fact, till September this year, the state lost 85% of its revenue from tourism.

In December, after snowfall at tourist places like Harshil, Auli, Mukteshwar, Dhanaulti, advance booking started in hotels for the new year. Hotel Association President Sandeep Sahni told that the hotel remained closed for 5 months. Seeing the booking for the new year, it is expected that the loss will be less. Online booking of hotels in Mussoorie, Auli, Mukteshwar, Chakrata and Nainital is almost full till January 5.