GULMARG, November 11: Gulmarg is looking to move beyond its traditional winter tourism identity, with the Tourism Department planning a year-round sporting and recreational calendar that includes golf, skiing, ice-skating and a week-long New Year carnival.
As part of the initiative, the Directorate of Tourism Kashmir on Thursday organised the Winter Caddy Golf Tournament 2026 at the iconic Gulmarg Golf Course, bringing local caddies and children onto the course in an effort to promote grassroots participation and develop the resort’s golfing potential.
The tournament, organised under the leadership of Director Tourism Kashmir Syed Qamar Sajjad, also sought to recognise the contribution of local caddies, who have traditionally assisted visiting golfers but had limited opportunities to demonstrate their own skills on the course.
Gulmarg MLA Farooq Ahmad Shah attended the event as chief guest, while Pattan MLA Javed Reyaz Bedar and Director Tourism Syed Qamar Sajjad were present as guests of honour. The tournament commenced with a ceremonial tee-off by Shah.
The caddy competition gave local participants an opportunity to compete on the same course where they regularly assist visiting golfers. Winners were presented with awards and cash prizes.
A separate junior golf programme was also introduced for children aged between 12 and 18 years. The department provided dedicated golf kits to the participants and organised a competition to familiarise them with the sport and encourage young talent.
Speaking to Kashmir Convener, Sajjad said the department was working to establish a sustained sporting culture in Gulmarg, with particular emphasis on involving local youth and creating opportunities for people associated with the tourism sector.
“We want Gulmarg to emerge not merely as a winter tourism destination but as a year-round sporting and recreational hub. The resort has tremendous potential for golf, skiing and several other sporting activities. Our endeavour is to ensure that the local population, particularly young boys and girls, becomes an integral part of this development,” he said.
He said the department was also exploring the revival of older golf tournaments associated with the Gulmarg Development Authority and developing a regular competitive calendar to ensure that golfing activities were not confined to occasional events.
“We are planning to organise a fully sponsored golf tournament next year, with attractive cash prizes and other incentives for participants. We want to bring more golfers to Gulmarg, encourage local talent and give this sport a more organised and competitive platform. Such events will also help us promote Gulmarg among golfing enthusiasts across the country,” Sajjad said.
Emphasising the need to build interest in golf from an early age, he said the department would organise weekend learning sessions for children to ensure continuity beyond the tournament.
“The children who participated today have shown enthusiasm. We have provided them with golf kits, and our plan is to organise regular sessions every weekend so that they can learn the fundamentals of the game, practise and gradually improve their skills. We want them to see golf as a sport they can pursue, rather than something meant only for visiting tourists,” he said.
Beyond golf, Sajjad said the department was planning a series of initiatives to strengthen Gulmarg’s winter tourism infrastructure and introduce new attractions.
A traditional seven-day New Year carnival is among the major proposals, aimed at showcasing Kashmir’s cultural heritage and giving visitors a wider range of activities during the festive period.
“We are working on a seven-day traditional New Year carnival in Gulmarg. The idea is to showcase our culture and traditions while providing visitors with activities and experiences throughout their stay. We also want to make the winter season more vibrant through improved facilities and organised events,” he said.
The department is also focusing on improving skiing infrastructure, including upgrading existing facilities, establishing a new skiing shop and procuring equipment to support winter sports activities.
Sajjad said a detailed project report was being prepared for developing artificial-snow infrastructure at Kongdoori, an initiative that could help address challenges arising from variations in natural snowfall.
“Snowfall remains an important factor for Gulmarg’s winter tourism economy. We are exploring artificial-snow infrastructure at Kongdoori and the DPR is being prepared. The objective is to strengthen our winter sports facilities and make the destination better equipped to deal with variations in natural snowfall,” he said.
Ice-skating facilities are also being explored as an additional attraction to diversify the resort’s winter tourism offerings, he added.
The proposed measures come as Gulmarg’s tourism economy remains closely linked to snowfall, particularly skiing and other snow-based activities. A broader sporting and recreational calendar could help extend visitor activity beyond the peak skiing season while creating more sustained economic opportunities for local stakeholders.
The golf initiative, in particular, seeks to widen local participation in a sport that has largely revolved around visiting tourists. By involving caddies in competitive events and introducing children to the game, the department is looking to develop a local pool of players alongside promoting Gulmarg as a golfing destination.
An environmental awareness component was also incorporated into the tournament, with paper bags distributed among participants and visitors to encourage responsible waste disposal and discourage littering in the ecologically sensitive resort.
The broader vision is to combine tourism promotion with sports development, youth engagement, local economic participation and environmental responsibility. Its success, however, will depend on sustaining the proposed programmes through regular coaching, access to equipment, improved infrastructure and a structured calendar of competitions.
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