Overview
- Official data show Gulmarg and Sonamarg at full capacity on December 31, with 2,300 and 2,580 beds booked, respectively.
- Pahalgam reached about 90% occupancy, with at least 5,000 arrivals on December 31 and roughly 7,000 tourists hosted later.
- The winter festival launched on December 25 featured cultural programs and musical evenings by local artists, including singer Qazi Tauqeer.
- Authorities increased police and paramilitary deployments to reassure visitors and keep traffic moving during events.
- The holiday surge follows months of depressed footfall after the April Pahalgam attack, delivering short-term gains for hotels, taxis and restaurants even as 2025 arrivals fell to about 10.47 lakh from roughly 26 lakh in 2024.