SRINAGAR: Sonamarg, a famous tourist destination in Central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district, is experiencing a significant influx of tourists, with 508,907 visitors arriving in the last seven months.
Sonamarg, known as the ‘meadow of gold’ with its snow-clad mountains, is situated at an altitude of 2730 meters, making it a mesmerizing hill station in Ganderbal district.
The period from January to July saw a surge in tourist arrivals, with a total of 508,907 tourists choosing to visit the area.
Out of this total, 476,010 were domestic visitors, 4,058 were foreigners, and 28,839 were locals, according to officials who spoke to the news agency KNO.
This marks the first time that Sonamarg has witnessed such a significant influx of foreign tourists.
Abdul Rahim shared his optimism about the season. “We are hopeful that the destination will host many events and cultural programs in the future, which will further boost the tourism sector,” he said.
“The flow of tourists is much better than in previous years. We are thankful to the tourism department for their promotion efforts, and with time, it’s only getting better,” mentioned a local hotelier.
A local resident suggested that the tourism department should introduce additional initiatives to attract more tourists to the destination.
Hoteliers in Sonamarg confirmed that this time around, all hotels are fully booked, and the season is progressing very well, marking a significant improvement after several years. (KNO)
