2015 is ‘Visit Kashmir Year’

Department of Tourism Kashmir is planning aggressive marketing strategy to attract travelers to Kashmir and the dedicated the 2015 as ‘Visit Kashmir Year’.
Director Tourism Kashmir and MD J&K Tourist Development Corporation Farooq Shah made this announcement at The Club, in Mumbai where travel agents from across India had participated.
The program was organized by Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Alliance in collaboration with J&K Tourism and J&K Bank under the them ‘Kashmir-Nature’s Misty Meadows’. J&KTA also released first edition of the directory. Director Tourism Kashmir unveiled the directory.
Speaking on the occasion, Shah said his department would give maximum publicity to  tourism potential of the state in all the major publication in India besides organizing participating in travel trade fairs and holding road shows.
He highlighted the tourism potential of the state saying J&K had everything to offer for every taste of traveler.
“J&K is a complete package for tourism sector. You should sell Kashmir and send travelers to Kashmir in large numbers. Kashmir’s will welcome you with all the smiles,” said Shah while addressing travel trade fraternity.
He also said that the tourism department will work for the start of special coaches for sight-seeing in Srinagar.
“The system is already in place in Europe where tourists visit a particular bus for sight-seeing. We will start this facility this year to help travelers visit the places in Srinagar in one buss,” said Shah.
He said J&K attracts major chunk of tourists form Maharashtra and the two states have long association in tourism sector.
“Before visiting Europe for shooting, Kashmir was the first choice for Bollywood. Kashmir is the natural attraction for film makers and we need to revive it,” said Shah.
He also announced that tourism department will introduce light and sound show at Hari Parbat Fort and cultural programs at Zabarwan Park as part of evening entertainment for the travelers.
“Visitors complained that they don’t get evening life in Kashmir. We will start evening entertainment in at Hari Parbat Fort and Zabarwan Park from April this year. Chinar Bagh will also be upgraded,” said Shah.
Director Tourism Kashmir also assured that Nigeen Club will be thrown open for tourists besides to promote border tourism, restrictions on Karnah area will be lifted.
“We have 20 places in Gurez where tourists can now visit. They can see border areas,” said Shah.
As part of promotional campaign, he assured that J&KTDC will not increase tariffs of its properties.
J&K Tourism department also organized press conference at Hotel The Lalit Mumbai where besides media persons many travel agents also participated.
Shah sought suggestions from travel fraternity for the promotion of Kashmir tourism.
Speaking on the occasion President KHAROF G M Dug said government is in a good mood in J&K which needs to be exploited for tourism promotion.
“Government mood is good these days for up-gradation of infrastructure and the travel agents should send the travelers to Kashmir. We have restored most of the infrastructure after floods,” said Dug.
He also appealed the national media to put Kashmir in right perspective while reporting about it.
J&KTA Chairman Manzoor Pakhtoon delivered a welcome note and urged tourism fraternity to promote Kashmir.
“We are organizing this seminar to tell you that Kashmir is ready to host you after floods and there is death of good accommodation for visitors,” he said.
Others who were present on the occasion include Director SKICC Yasmeen Khan, Director Tourism Jammu TAAK President Peerzada Faiyaz, Chairman Hoteliers Club Mushtaq Chaya, Chairman JK Chapter TAAI Shamim Shah, President PHAROF Javid Burza, PILTOF Convener Nasir Shah, Bollywood actor Sanjay Suri President AKTO Nazir Ahmad Mir, Chairman TAAI Iqbal Mullah, President of Maharashtra Tour Operates Association Sudhir Patil, J&K Senior President Sighel.