After recent snowfall, Gulmarg sees uptick in tourism activity

 Aaqib Khan

Srinagar, Dec 23: After a bruising year marked first by an unusually delayed snowfall and then by the terror attack in Pahalgam earlier this year, the fresh spell of snowfall in Kashmir has brought with it more than just a change in weather, it has revived cautious optimism across the tourism-dependent highland economies, particularly in Gulmarg, the Valley’s premier ski destination.

Last winter, Gulmarg bore the brunt of climate unpredictability. The ski resort, which relies almost entirely on timely snowfall between late December and January, witnessed one of its worst seasons in recent years as snow arrived weeks late. Ski slopes remained bare well into the peak tourist window, forcing cancellations, grounding ski operations, and pushing thousands dependent on winter tourism to the brink.

This year, the early snowfall has altered the mood. For Gulmarg, snowfall is not merely scenic but structural to its economy. Unlike other tourist destinations in Kashmir, where visitors may come for landscapes, gardens or pilgrimages, Gulmarg’s winter tourism is built squarely around snow-based activities, with skiing at its core.

As India’s only established ski resort with international-standard slopes, Gulmarg attracts professional skiers, adventure tourists, and winter sports trainees from across the country and abroad.

From ski guides trained under international instructors to snowmobile and ATV operators, hotel workers, pony handlers, photographers, shopkeepers and roadside vendors, the entire local economy moves in tandem with snow accumulation. Officials estimate that thousands of livelihoods in and around Gulmarg are seasonally activated by winter tourism alone.

“Snow is our livelihood,” a local ski guide told KNS, watching fresh flakes settle on the Apharwat slopes. “Without snow, there is no work, no skiing, no tourists, no income.

The delayed snowfall last season had a cascading effect. Hotels ran at low occupancy, ski schools suspended operations, and daily-wage earners were left without alternatives during what is traditionally their most lucrative period. The situation was further aggravated this year when the terror attack in Pahalgam sent shockwaves through Kashmir’s tourism sector just as it was struggling to recover.

Though Pahalgam lies over 100 km from Gulmarg, the impact was Valley-wide. Bookings dipped sharply, cancellations followed, and a sense of uncertainty returned to an industry that had only recently regained momentum after years of disruption.

Against this backdrop, the fresh snowfall has come as a psychological and economic reset. Tourism stakeholders say enquiries have already picked up, particularly from skiing enthusiasts and adventure tour operators who had been adopting a wait-and-watch approach. The operational readiness of the Gulmarg Gondola, one of the highest cable cars in the world has further strengthened expectations of a revival, as skiable terrain expands with each fresh snowfall.

However, apprehensions remain. Industry players are wary of a repeat of last year’s pattern, where early snow raised hopes only for prolonged dry spells to follow. “The concern is not just snowfall, but sustained snowfall,” said a hotelier. “A single spell creates buzz, but continuity creates confidence.”

Yet, for now, optimism has returned to the snow-clad slopes. As fresh snow carpets Gulmarg, skis are being waxed, shops reopened, and seasonal workers are returning to the resort town with renewed hope. For Kashmir’s winter tourism, battered by climate uncertainty and security shocks, every falling snowflake this season carries with it the promise of revival but also a reminder of how much is at stake.(KNS)