SRINAGAR: The tourism players in the valley have urged the authorities to promote winter tourism in Pahalgam and bring it to the winter tourism map.
Hoteliers, pony walas and others associated with the tourism in Pahalgam said that the current tourism flow in Pahalgam is very low and there is little flow in hotels having central heating systems.
Aarif Hussain, a hotelier from Pahalgam, said that as most of the hotels in Pahalgam lack a central heating system, so most of the hoteliers are closing their hotels in winters. He said there remains a very low flow of tourists in winters in Pahalgam, however, last year there was a good influx in winters and “we are hopeful that flow will increase in coming time.”
“Currently there is just around 10 percent tourism flow and in case of snowfall, the flow is expected to increase,” he said. Aadil Ahmad, a Pony wala said that the tourism flow in Pahalgam is just below 20 percent and flow is expected to increase with snow fall.
Hoteliers and pony walas said that usually tourist flow remains good in the summer season in Pahalgam and they used to sit idle in winters but last year there was good rush in winters too and people associated with it expecting the same flow this year as well.
They requested the government to make all facilities available at Pahalgam which are available at Gulmarg so that Pahalgam will emerge as a winter tourism destination as well.
Ski lifting, cable car facilities, winter sports tournaments and other facilities at the spot will attract more and more tourists towards Pahalgam and government must look into it, they said.
Meanwhile, an official of Tourism said that tourism flow is around 30-40 percent and tourism department is conducting many events in this regard so as to attract more tourists towards Pahalgam.
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