SRINAGAR: The prolonged dry spell in Kashmir has significantly impacted the winter tourism sector in the region. The near snowless winter in the Valley has led to a 30-50 per cent drop in tourist footfall. The 5th edition of Khelo India Winter Games, which was scheduled to be held in the world famous ski resort of Gulmarg, has also been postponed. Tour operator and former Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) Kashmir chapter president Zahoor Ahmed Qari said the tourists who wanted to see the snow have cancelled their visits to Kashmir.“The tourists have cancelled their planned visits to Kashmir due to the ongoing dry weather and lack of snowfall. The tourists wanted to enjoy snowfall here for the life-time experience but in view of prolonged dry spell, many have cancelled their trips,” he said.Zahoor said there was full booking in the hotels for February to March but now “hoteliers are calling us to sell their vacant rooms”.He said that the foreign tourists have also cancelled their visits to Gulmarg due to less snowfall. The occupancy in hotels, guest houses, house boats have been hit due to the drop in footfall of the tourists.Prominent hotelier and President of Hoteliers Club Gulmarg Aqib Chaya said due to lack of snowfall this year, “we have only 60-70 per cent business in Gulmarg while it is about 50 per cent in other tourist destinations in the winter months”.He said there were bookings till March as “we used to have snowfall till then but this year there was very less snowfall due to prolonged dry spell”.J&K Tourism Alliance chairman and Houseboat Association vice-president Manzoor Pakhtoon said the dry spell has significantly impacted Kashmir tourism.
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