The famed tourist resort of Gulmarg, settled in the lap of snow-covered mountains, has been a year-round favourite pick in Kashmir; often synonyms to the valley’s stunning scenic beauty.
However, it was morphed into a ghost town as New Delhi asked all tourists in Jammu and Kashmir to leave as soon as possible before it moved to abrogate the region’s limited-autonomy in August 2019. The tourism industry of Kashmir suffered unprecedented economic blows as the sector lost thousands of jobs. When the lockdown was gradually lifted, everything was only worse.
An unparalleled lockdown was imposed again by the authorities to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. Strict travel restrictions were placed and the flights landed for months.
Following a lull of several seasons and more than 500 days, the tourists finally returned to click the beautiful side of Kashmir. Resorts were recorded to be sold out on weekends as people enjoyed small-time scattered festivals. Similar scenes were witnessed in other famed hill stations, including Sonamarg.