Sonamarg, a scenic destination in Ganderbal district of central Kashmir, has seen a remarkable surge in tourism over the past five years, with visitor numbers reaching six lakhs by this year.
According to locals news agency, Kashmir News Observer, Tourism at Sonamarg has grown by 11% in terms of footfall and by an impressive 1800% in revenue. In 2019, the number of tourists stood at 58,309, and by 2024, it soared to 6,61,539.
Revenue from tourism has also seen significant growth. In 2020, earnings were recorded at Rs 1.63 lakhs, which increased to Rs 3.51 lakhs in 2021. By 2022, it had climbed to Rs 9.7 lakhs, further rising to Rs 25.8 lakhs in 2023. This year, revenues reached Rs 30.68 lakhs.
A Solid Waste Management Plant was set up in Sarbal, Sonamarg, in 2020 to manage the increased waste, equipped with an electromagnetic disintegrator, a 5-MT auto insta-composter, and a segregator.
Currently, Sonamarg offers 1,270 rooms across both government and private accommodations, with additional camping sites developed to cater to the influx of tourists.
Despite this growth, no new hostel registrations were received in 2023-24, and details regarding the registration of horse riders and snow bikers remain under the jurisdiction of the Department of Tourism.
The department has created 25 tourism assets, 19 of which have already been outsourced.