Winter tourist destination

As the recent snowfall brought cheers to the people associated with tourism, it also brought joy to hundreds of tourists visiting famous resorts including Pahalgam, Gulmarg and Sonamarg. However, much to the disappointment of the hundreds of domestic as well as non local tourists who had come to visit their preferred tourist destination Sonamarg, they had to leave back as the road leading to Sonamarg was closed.

The Sonamarg which remains abuzz with huge flow of local as well as non local tourists in summers receives heavy snowfall during winter months and used to remain closed during winters for any public as well as traffic movement every year. But over last couple of years, with the construction of the Z Morh tunnel near Gagengar along the Srinagar-Leh highway, the government made efforts to keep Sonamarg open during winters. However, the people associated with tourism as well as the visitors, have been demanding the opening of Z Morh tunnel throughout the year to ensure that the visitors don’t face any inconvenience.

Famous for its summer beauty, Sonamarg is gearing up to transform into a bustling winter sports hub, aiming to establish itself as an all-weather destination. With the recent completion of the Z-Morh Tunnel, which will keep the region accessible even in harsh weather, Sonamarg is poised to draw winter tourists and host a range of winter sports activities that will add it to Jammu and Kashmir's premier winter spots.

The tourists come to visit Sonamarg only to enjoy snow. Surprisingly, the tourism department as well as the Sonamarg development authority have failed to promote Sonamarg like other tourist destinations. Over the last several years there have been no promotional events in summers as well as winters that would bring Sonamarg into focus. Pertinently a huge population from the area is dependent on the tourism sector and they earn their livelihood during summer tourism season and during the Amarnath yatra period. From last few years thousands of tourists visited here which gave the local populace a sigh of relief as they offer various services to these visitors. The locals believe that the government only prefers to promote Gulmarg and Pahalgam and neglects Sonamarg.

They say that the tourism department holds events outside the state to attract tourists but the department has failed to upgrade infrastructure at these places. Not a single event, even during summers, was held at Sonamarg despite tourists finding it one of their preferred visiting place in Kashmir.

Sonamarg has a huge potential for the winter tourism, particularly the adventure tourism. But the government has failed to tap its potential. Sonamarg can be a hub of adventure tourism not only for the valley but worldwide.

Sonamarg has been bestowed with the best of the ingredients like water, air and surface required for the adventure tourism. The closure of Sonamarg is a major setback to the tourism sector here. The vital Z-morh tunnel was constructed near Sonamarg to make it all weather tourist destination. However, the delay in its opening affects tourism here. Jammu and Kashmir government needs to take steps to tap the potential of this place so that it is brought onto the tourism map as an all weather tourist place.