Bandipora, Apr 10: With the onset of the spring, the picturesque valley in North Kashmir’s Bandipora district is expected to witness massive influx of tourists this year as fifty percent hotels are booked in advance.
For many years, the Gurez Valley, which was once a major route along the Silk Road connecting Europe to Kashgar, China, has been subject to cross-border shelling between two countries. However, it is now quickly becoming one of Kashmir’s most sought-after tourist spots.
As per the details available with the Rising Kashmir, despite Bandipora-Gurez road has not been fully reopened, tourists have begun to flock to the border valley.
Sajad Ahmad Rather, Nodal Officer of the control room established by the district administration Bandipora to monitor the Bandipora-Gurez road status told Rising Kashmir that since the road has been open, they have been receiving an average of one sixty calls a day from tourists from all around the country looking to confirm their travel plans on the Bandipora-Gurez road.
Manan Ahmad, the manager of the “Gurez Knights” hotel, informed Rising Kashmir that they had started to receive calls from travelers soon after the Bandipora-Gurez Road had been made passable for traffic. He stated that out of the 26 rooms in their hotel, 14 had already been booked and they are receiving more bookings daily.
An official said that, in the past two years, Gurez has become a highly desired tourist destination for both local and domestic travelers and has seen a remarkable influx of tourists. He continued by stating that the formerly restricted border villages of the Valley are now experiencing a surge of tourism.
He noted that, in anticipation of a substantial increase in tourism this year, the administration is investing in additional infrastructure and amenities. He further added that additional emphasis is being placed on tent colonies in order to preserve the delicate ecology of the area.
The Deputy Commissioner of Bandipora, Dr Owais Ahmed, expressed his admiration for the district administration of Bandipora’s efforts in pushing forward the tourism industry in Gurez, and assured that they will continue to work towards promoting tourism in the region in the future.
Owais said that with the district administration of Bandipora, tourism department, and Mission Youth have been instrumental in helping the locals of Gurez Valley to turn their houses into homestays and offer tourists a chance to experience their culture and heritage.
