Srinagar, Nov 29: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday said Jammu & Kashmir’s tourism sector has suffered this season due to unusually dry weather, stressing that snowfall remains the biggest driver of winter tourist arrivals.
Speaking to reporters, the Chief Minister said the industry’s growth relies heavily on strong business-to-business activity, promotion, and effective marketing.
“Wherever there are business to business relations, people associated with tourism benefit the most. The biggest factor supporting tourism is promotion and marketing,” he noted.
Abdullah admitted that the current tourism season has been difficult across several destinations.
“This year has not been easy for us in terms of tourism whether it is Pahalgam, Delhi, or Naugam,” he said.
He highlighted that winter tourism in the Valley is directly linked to weather conditions.
“The biggest reason for footfall in this season is snow. November has been dry. We are hopeful for a good spell of snow in December,” he said.
Despite the challenging conditions, Abdullah said tourists are still visiting Kashmir.
“Tourists continue to arrive in Pahalgam and other areas, but snowfall will further boost tourism,” he added.