Srinagar: Famous tourist spot Pahalgam has emerged as a major hub for this winter season. It has become a major draw for tourists visiting the Kashmir Valley after Gulmarg.

It is mainly attracting the domestic tourists this winter season.

Despite "Chilaikalan", the 40-day winter spell in progress, tourists are thronging this world famous resort.

At least 1,000 domestic tourists from different parts of the country have booked rooms in allmost all the hotels in Pahalgam and still many tourists are waiting to get fascinated by the snowfall.

"Pahalgam is really a beautiful place and deserves to be called paradise on earth. I am so fascinated by the beauty of this place that I want to continue my stay here," says Arun who has come to Pahalgam for the first time along with his family.

Another tourist Gopal from Maharashtra who has been camping here for the last one week says that he is awaiting snowfall to enjoy horse ride amid snowflakes.

"I have only seen snow on TV and want to enjoy it while taking a horse ride. I enjoyed horse ride to Aru but amid snowfall it will be more enjoyable” Gopal said.

Most of the tourists are new wed couples who have come to celebrate New Year at Pahalgam.

“I have come with my husband to celebrate New Year here. Celebrating New Year with my husband in Pahalgam will be one of the unforgettable moments of my life," said Poonam.

Hoteliers in Pahalgam maintain that for the first time they have seen such a huge number of tourists here during the winter season.

"We used to close the hotel at the end of November as tourists flow would drop to almost zero with the onset of winter. But this year on seeing tourist arriving in numbers despite the cold wave, we kept the hotel open," said general manager of Mountain Lodge Nisar Ahmad Wani.

He said that all A-grade hotels are trying to provide all the facilities to woo more tourists.