Christmas celebrations lifted the spirit of moribund tourism industry in Kashmir on Thursday (December 25, 2025). Hundreds of locals and domestic tourists flocked to Gulmarg and Pahalgam, where a terror attack earlier this year threw a spanner in the growing tourist footfall.
The centre of attraction for tourists was the Saint Mary church at Gulmarg in north Kashmir. Built in 1902, the well-lit church on a snow-laden highland in the Gulmarg meadow saw visitors experiencing the Christmas celebrations. “Gulmarg provides a perfect backdrop for Christmas celebrations. Snow, bells tolling and festivities all round,” said Naresh Kumar, a tourist from New Delhi.
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According to local hoteliers, occupancy of most hotels jumped from around 20% to around 70% on eve of Christmas. The tourist hotspot has around 2300 beds.
In south Kashmir’s Pahalgam, which saw a major terror attack on April 22 this year, Maira Gupta, a six-year- old tourist from Maharashtra inaugurated the winter festival. “Maira won millions of hearts in Kashmir by inaugurating the winter festival, which will continue till the New Year,” an official of the tourism department said.
