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As 2025 draws to a close, tourists seeking a break from city life have thronged Patnitop in Ramban district to celebrate Christmas and New Year, in the aftermath of the Pahalgam incident, in which terrorists killed 26 tourists.
Amid the surge in visitors, hoteliers and cafe owners expressed optimism about improved business, noting that tourism had taken a hit following the Pahalgam attack, which had significantly reduced their business. As tourists flock in, local businesses are expecting a much-needed boost. Maheshwar, a hotelier based in Ramban, said that increased footfall in the valley will drive economic growth. "Our work ended because of Pahalgam... There were two trains earlier, now there are four, so we hope our work will expand... There is Christmas and New Year... I hope this will provide us some relief..." Maheshwar told ANI. Kumar, a cafe owner in Ramban, said their business has been affected over the past 8-9 months due to the Pahalgam attack and recent landslide incidents. He expressed hope for increased business on December 25 and on December 31. "Our work has been down for 8-9 months, due to Pahalgam and landslides incidents...so we hope work gets started on December 25, we get work too on December 31, we pray to god, everybody gets good work," Kumar told ANI. Many tourists in Patnitop said they are enjoying their time, appreciating the pleasant environment, and looking forward to the New Year celebrations. Devansh, a tourist from Ghaziabad, said they are visiting Patnitop to escape the city's prevailing pollution and described the weather there as pleasant. "We have come here to escape the pollution in Ghaziabad. It is cold, and we are having fun. We will plan to celebrate Christmas and the New Year in Jammu and Kashmir.I am excited," Devansh told ANI. Meena Sharma, another tourist from Katra, also praised the area's weather and scenic beauty, adding that despite 2025 being marked by painful incidents, they have come to enjoy the moment. "The scenery is beautiful, the weather is good, the year 2025 was marked by painful incidents like the Pahalgam attack, airplane crash, etc, to keep these incidents aside, we are on a holiday for Christmas and New Year celebrations, we are happy and are enjoying. We ate food together, and we are feeling good," Sharma told ANI. Earlier, tourists enjoyed fresh snowfall in Gulmarg, as the popular place was covered in a thick blanket of snow, turning the region into a picturesque winter destination and drawing visitors to the scenic beauty. (ANI)
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