Kashmir's Drung Waterfall Draws Winter Crowds as Tourism Rebounds
Tourists from across India are gathering at the frozen Drung waterfall in Tangmarg, Kashmir. They take photographs and record videos as this site becomes a major winter attraction. Drung, part of the Gulmarg tourist circuit, reopened in November after a closure following last year's Pahalgam terror attack. Since then, the area has experienced a steady revival in tourist activity.
Tourists Embrace Winter in Kashmir
Gansham, a tourist from Maharashtra, visited Kashmir with his family. "We came here mainly to see the waterfall," he said. He has been in Kashmir for three days, staying at a hotel in Tangmarg and exploring nearby locations. "Most people come to Kashmir in summers but we wanted to see snow. So we chose winter. I don't regret it even though locals say there has been less snowfall this year," he added.
His wife shared her excitement. "We were not sure whether the children would enjoy winter visit to Kashmir, but it turned out to be a very good decision," she said. "We will stay two more days and hope to see fresh snowfall." She noted this was her first time seeing a frozen waterfall.
Security Measures and Reopening Efforts
Several key tourist sites, including Drung, were shut after the Pahalgam terror attack as part of heightened security measures. While many destinations remain closed, some like Drung have reopened. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has advocated for reopening all tourist destinations. He argues the current situation does not justify prolonged closures.
Speaking to reporters in Gulmarg last month, Abdullah said Kashmir faced more difficult circumstances in the past. He pointed out that even during the 1990s, tourist destinations were never closed. Local youths are now ferrying tourists on snow scooters from Tangmarg to Drung, showing renewed activity.
Heli-Skiing and Winter Tourism Boost
In Gulmarg, legislator Farooq Ahmad Shah inaugurated heli-skiing recently. He said this reflects people's faith in Kashmir's winter tourism potential. "Heli-skiing attracts some of the highest-spending skiers within the country and outside. They come specifically for this activity. I consider it as a positive development and I hope it will give wide publicity to Kashmir's tourism sector," Shah stated.
Local entrepreneur Billa Majeed Bakshi, a veteran skier, has been ferrying tourists to Sunshine Peak at 14,000 feet using two helicopters for the past two years. Bakshi believes the launch of heli-skiing this winter will boost tourism and attract high-spending skiers to Gulmarg.
Officials Report Growing Confidence
Director of Tourism Syed Qamar Sajad noted the steady tourist inflow shows growing confidence in Kashmir as a winter destination. He said most hotels, particularly in Gulmarg, are fully booked. "We are not sharing numbers due to many reasons, but since the launch of winter festival in Dal Lake and the Adventure Tour Operators Association of India conference last month, there has been a marked improvement in tourist arrivals," Sajad explained.
He added that the Gulmarg Gondola is witnessing heavy rush with visitors from across the country. "All our hotels in Gulmarg are booked. These are good indications for the coming months," he said.
Promotional Efforts and Future Outlook
Nasir Shah, chairman of the Indian Association of Tour Operators Kashmir chapter, said snowfall in higher reaches helped bring tourists. About 50–60 percent of visitors arrived between December 10 and January 10. "With joint promotional efforts by all stakeholders, including two back-to-back roadshows in Kolkata and Ahmedabad, increased social media campaigns by the tourism department and hundreds of tour operators travelling across the country bookings have begun to pick up in good numbers from February onwards," Shah noted.
He expects Chief Minister Abdullah's visit to Mumbai this week to interact with tour and travel operators to further improve tourism. This combined effort aims to sustain the revival seen at destinations like the Drung waterfall.
