Srinagar
The snow-covered meadows of Gulmarg buzzed with excitement as the second leg of the 5th Khelo India Winter Games-2025 commenced on Sunday, providing a significant boost to the local economy.
Located at an elevation of 8,694 ft in the Himalayas, the famous ski-resort is set to witness a flurry of sports activities during the four-day event.
The Winter Games, originally scheduled for February 22–25, was postponed due to insufficient snowfall as the Valley experienced a prolonged dry spell. However, a fresh western disturbance in the last week of February blanketed Gulmarg’s alpine slopes in a thick layer of snow, creating ideal conditions for hosting the games.
The event features more than 400 athletes and 100 team officials, representing 30 teams across the country.
The athletes are competing in various disciplines like alpine skiing, Nordic skiing, ski mountaineering and snowboarding. The first phase of the event was held in Ladakh from January 23-27 with Ladakh bagging seven medals including four golds.
On the first day of the event, games for both men and women, took place in Kongdori.
A multi-tier security arrangement has been implemented to ensure safe and seamless conduct of the games.
For the first time, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, in partnership with the Sports Authority of India, is managing the technical aspects of the games in coordination with the National Sports Federations and the ad-hoc body of the Indian Olympic Association.
Tourism promotion
Sharif Ahmad Dar, manager at Hotel Grand Mumtaz,Gulmarg told businessline that Gulmarg was totally sold out. “There is 100 percent occupancy in Gulmarg,” he said.
Tariq Ahmad, a tourist guide said that the tourist activities in the area picked up following the recent snowfall.
Over the past four years, Kashmir has received 80 per cent fewer tourists than Jammu. According to the Economic Survey 2024-25, Jammu recorded 1,06,50,757 tourist arrivals in 2021, whereas Kashmir saw only 6,65,777 visitors.
Last year, the Valley witnessed almost snowless winters with coveted tourist destinations like Gulmarg and Pahalgam receiving significantly low snowfall, impacting winter tourism.
Tourism contributes nearly 7 per cent to GDP, generating over ₹8,000 crore in annual revenue.