Tourists Enjoy Snow at Pahalgam Resort in Indian Kashmir

2010-1-6

Fresh snowfall at the Pahalgam resort in Indian Kashmir is attracting tourists from across the country.

The resort is surrounded by lofty mountain ranges and is washed by gushing streams and rivulets, making it a popular tourist spot.

[Reshma, Tourist from New Delhi]:
“It's beautiful here, especially after yesterday's snowfall, the place has become more beautiful. Since the snow is fresh and soft, it's not slippery. And this is a good time to roam around and enjoy the landscapes.”

The arrival of tourists also lights up the faces of people involved in tourism industry.

[Abdul Salaam, Hotel Manager]:
“This year, the tourist inflow here has been the best in the last 20 years. Tourist season here since the December Christmas holidays and New Year has been very encouraging."

Pahalgam is located at an altitude of more than 6,500 feet above sea level amidst the great Himalayan range. It is also an ideal destination for hiking, trekking, fishing and water rafting.

Around a million tourists used to visit the Kashmir valley every year until militants began to target the area in 1989.

However, over the past couple of years, visitors have started returning to the scenic Himalayan region as violence declined after India and Pakistan started a slow-moving peace process in 2004. However, the peace process broke after the November 2008 Mumbai attacks.

According to official figures, 430-thousand tourists including 23,000 foreigners visited Kashmir in 2008.

Source: NTDTV.
Link: http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/ns_asia/2010-01-06/733240025553.html.