Srinagar: After a lull of nearly one-and-a-half years, Kashmir is again abuzz with tourists as thousands of people from different parts of the country are in the valley for New Year celebrations to witness the snowfall.
After the amendment of Article 370 in 2019 and Covid-19 lockdown in March last year, Kashmir witnessed almost negligible tourist footfall for one-and-a-half years. However, tourists have finally started visiting the valley now and Srinagar's Dal lake is crowded with tourists.
As the New Year eve witnessed snowfall in Kashmir, many tourists are in the valley to have a glimpse of the white blanket of snow over mountains and plains. A batch of tourists from Maharashtra was the first one to be welcomed in Srinagar by the Dal lake houseboat owners, whose business was hit because of the Article 370 amendment and the Covid lockdown.
Talking to ETV Bharat, Yakoob Dhanoo, a houseboat owner, said that the arrival of tourists and revival of his business is no less than Eid for him. "Our business suffered hugely in the last two years but we are very happy that we have visitors now and our business has started taking off again," he said.
One of the tourists, Kalpana told ETV Bharat that they are glad to be in Kashmir to see the scenic beauty and feel the cold which is rare in Maharashtra. "It is so beautiful here. We decided to come to Kashmir after we saw a decrease in the Covid numbers. The people are so welcoming here," she added.
Another tourist Vandana said that Kashmir is a safe place for women and she is happy to be here. Houseboat owner Dhanoo said that it is a good sign that tourists are back in the valley on the New Year eve and that they expect a revival of tourism this year in Kashmir.
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