SRINAGAR: Over eight lakh domestic and 50,000 foreign tourists have visited Kashmir this year so far and the hotel occupancy at Gulmarg is almost 100 per cent for the New Year.
This was stated by Advisor to Governor, Khurshid Ahmad Ganai on Tuesday during his interaction with tourists and tourism players in Srinagar.
“The tourist arrivals have picked up and more tourists are comings. The bookings have also picked up which can be gauged from the fact that the Gulmarg is fully packed for New Year. This is very encouraging,” Ganai said, according to an official handout.
Ganai said that the government will provide all possible assistance to the tourism stakeholders in their efforts to project Kashmir as world’s top tourism destination.
He urged the service providers and stakeholders to work towards placing famed Kashmir among the world top tourism destinations by the year 2020.
He suggested for introducing effective tourist friendly measures to make the stay of the tourists longer in Kashmir. He also stressed on the need to introduce various attractions such as evening cultural shows among other festivals for extending the nightlife.
Stating that Jammu and Kashmir was the safest place for the travellers, Ganai appealed tourists to visit the State—which offers diverse tourism products and unmatched beauty.
Extending greetings to the tourists who had come to celebrate Christmas and New Year in Kashmir, the Advisor said for past few months, the tourist footfall has been encouraging.
He said this was the outcome of the untiring promotional activities carried out by the department and by the tour operators.
Recalling his recent visit to New Delhi, Ganai said that he has appealed Union Government to make efforts to promote JK Tourism at national and international levels.