After winter-tourism high in Gulmarg, can spring be far behind?
Encouraging winter arrivals in Gulmarg attributed to skiing activities, now, gondola craze lends new lease of hope for spring
With the snow cover at the ski resort of Gulmarg in northern Kashmir making way for green meadows near the Line of Control, tourist rush has begun pouring in — with over 3 lakh arrivals already in the first quarter of the year.
Visitors, given the recent influx, are just as enthused by the prospect of ushering in spring at the meadows as they were for winter ski vacations at the iconic ski resort in Baramulla district, some 50 km from Srinaga.
“The rush of domestic tourists is increasing; some 4,500-5,000 people visit the resort daily. Though local visitors are not much in number owing to Ramadan,” Gulmarg tourism assistant director Javaid ur Rehman said, adding, “Compared to winter, our arrivals have doubled with 70% bookings at hotels,”
Breaking down the figures, Rehman said 3.07 lakh tourists from various parts of the country and 2,748 foreigners visited the iconic resort from January 1 to March 31.
“In January, we recorded 95,989 tourist arrivals, 92,412 in February and 1.19 lakh in March. The first 10 days of April have already seen 45,000-50,000 arrivals,” he said.
Rehman noted that most arrivals in January and February covered skiing-enthusiasts, but was quick to add that the graph has not gone down post-winter, “The snow in the meadow has melted, though we still have some at the Kongdori and Apharwat mountains, for which we use the first and second phases of Gondola cable car.”
{{/usCountry}}Rehman noted that most arrivals in January and February covered skiing-enthusiasts, but was quick to add that the graph has not gone down post-winter, “The snow in the meadow has melted, though we still have some at the Kongdori and Apharwat mountains, for which we use the first and second phases of Gondola cable car.”
{{/usCountry}}In 2022, a whopping 26.73 lakh tourists visited Kashmir, the highest ever. Of this, a whopping 15.42 lakh made it to Gulmarg.
{{/usCountry}}In 2022, a whopping 26.73 lakh tourists visited Kashmir, the highest ever. Of this, a whopping 15.42 lakh made it to Gulmarg.
{{/usCountry}}Riding high on the same, Gulmarg Gondola, one of Asia’s highest aerial tramways located deep in the Himalayas near the LoC, fetched an annual revenue of ₹100 crore in 2023, the highest since its inception in 1998.
{{/usCountry}}Riding high on the same, Gulmarg Gondola, one of Asia’s highest aerial tramways located deep in the Himalayas near the LoC, fetched an annual revenue of ₹100 crore in 2023, the highest since its inception in 1998.
{{/usCountry}}The first phase of Gondola leads up to Kongdori at a height of 8,530-ft for ₹740 per person, while the second phase soars to Apharwat at a height of 12,293-ft and costs ₹950 per person.
{{/usCountry}}The first phase of Gondola leads up to Kongdori at a height of 8,530-ft for ₹740 per person, while the second phase soars to Apharwat at a height of 12,293-ft and costs ₹950 per person.
{{/usCountry}}Rehman said the gondola tickets, which are provided online on the Jammu and Kashmir Cable Car Corporation website, are sold out till April-end.
Such is the rush that the cable car corporation has cautioned tourists of not falling into the trap of touts after police arrested a person early this week for providing a fake tickets to two tourists at double the price.
“It has come to the notice of the management of the Cable Car Corporation that some of the tourists fall into the trap of touts and some miscreant elements regarding tickets of Gulmarg Gondola project…The tickets are available only through online mode on official website www.jammukashmircablecar.com and there is no other means to get the ticket of Gulmarg Gondola ,” it said.
