The flights are full, new buildings tell of a growing demand for hotel rooms and motley crowds on the banks of the Dal lake signal that the paradise once considered lost may yet be regained. Kashmir appears to be firmly back on the tourist map. Last year, more than 1.4 million tourists thronged Srinagar, the highest in two decades, before protests across the Kashmir Valley put an end to that. This year, locals and travel industry analysts expect record tourist arrivals. “From April 1-June 15, our hotel bookings have gone up more than four times compared to that last year,” said Tarique Khatri, vice-president of cleartrip.com, a travel solutions company. “All hotels are occupied to capacity,” said Nazir Rah, owner of the Rah group of hotels and resorts in Sonmarg, Srinagar. Tourist rush hour in Kashmir - Hindustan Times
