Kashmir prepares for winter season tourism, houseboat festival held on Dal Lake

While Kashmir witnessed a huge tourist arrival in summers this year, the government of Jammu and Kashmir along with Tourism department is leaving no stone unturned to make the winter season as attractive for the tourists to visit Kashmir Valley. Tourism department of Jammu and Kashmir is planning a huge set of events for the coming weeks and one of the events ''Houseboat Winter Festival' was held at the World-famous Dal Lake.

Glittering Shikaras over the Dal Lake with Zabarwan Hills in the background amid minus-degree temperatures is a view that can only be witnessed in the Kashmir Valley. Houseboats which are generally fully booked during the winter are for the first time preparing to host guests during the winter season. Dal Lake freezes during the winter and to give a unique experience to the tourists, these shikaras and houseboats are being kept ready to host the tourists.

''The main purpose of the houseboat festival is to project a winter that is warm, the winter that is vibrant, the winter that is welcoming to all. The purpose is not to just show the houseboats but the whole of Kashmir for the coming winter season. We are starting ski courses in Gulmarg, we are also starting ski courses to Yusmarg and Doodhpathri. Apart from that Pahalgam is going to remain open. We have enough rooms with all the facilities available to host tourists in winters,'' said Fazal Ul Haseeb, Director Tourism.

Kashmir has always seen huge tourist rush for Ski resort Gulmarg in the winters but this year the government is pushing other destinations like Sonmarg, Pahalgam, Doodhpathri, and Yusmarg. All the arrangements to host the tourists have been made.

Kashmir is called the winter wonderland. The tourist stakeholders in the valley are hopeful for a great winter tourist arrival. And all the preparations have been put in place.

''Branding is a must to promote anything. These events were not held earlier especially with regard to houseboats, this year it's the second festival and I am sure we will benefit due to it. The festival will be watched across the world, and we are expecting more tourist arrivals this year. The houseboats will be open for tourists in the winter months to enjoy the cold, '' said Manzoor Pakhtoon of Houseboat Association.

With the MeT department predicting snowfall across Kashmir region from today, the tourist stakeholders have been getting queries and bookings for the coming few weeks. It has been always witnessed that the more Kashmir witnesses snow, the more tourist arrivals will happen.