No snow: Tourists cancel holidays as Indian ski resorts run dry

FILE PHOTO: Cable car cabins are pictured in Gulmarg, a ski resort and one of the main tourist attractions in the Kashmir region, January 22, 2022. REUTERS/Sanna Irshad Mattoo/File Photo

SRINAGAR, India (Reuters) - A lack of snowfall has led to empty ski resorts and holiday cancellations in the Indian Himalayas, with scientists linking the "unusual" winter to the El Nino weather phenomenon.

The dry spell in Kashmir has pushed skiers to skip the popular resort of Gulmarg, one of the highest in the world, and left hotels in the scenic region waiting for fresh falls to draw tourists to the panoramic views of snow-capped peaks.