CM for promoting festival tourism in Kashmir

In a bid to improve tourist footfall in the picturesque Kashmir Valley on the upcoming Pooja and Diwali holidays, Chief Minister, Mufti Muhammad Sayeed, today directed the tourism stakeholders to organize promotional drives in Kolkata, Mumbai and Ahmedabad, from where the State receives maximum visitors.

He said he will take up with the Union Railways Minister, Suresh Prabhu, the issue of running special train services during the festival season to facilitate the tourists intending to visit the Valley.

The Chief Minister said this while interacting with a delegation of Kashmir Tourism Trade Bodies’ Coordination Committee, here today, an official statement said.

Minister for Education, Naeem Akhtar and Director Tourism, Kashmir & MD JKTDC, Farooq Ahmad Shah, were also present on the occasion.

Referring to the Tourism Mart being organized at Kolkata from July 31, Mufti Sayeed asked the delegation to participate in the Mart and prepare in advance special packages for attracting visitors during the Durga Pooja holidays.

“Being principal stakeholders, your presence at Kolkata will send a positive signal in building tourist confidence in travelling to Kashmir this season,” he said while indicating to the delegation to promote Valley as an all-season destination.

Asking Director Tourism to bring new destinations like Gurez, Kokernag, Daksum, Aharbal and Dudpathri within the ambit of ‘Kashmir Calling’ campaign, the Chief Minister said: “We need to provide tourists add-on facilities when they visit Valley during upcoming festive season.”

The Chief Minister said he will meet the Railways Minister and request him to run special trains during festival season from Kolkata, Mumbai and Ahmedabad. He also assured the delegation of taking up the matter of starting a direct Kolkata-Srinagar air service during Pooja holidays with the Union Civil Aviation Minister.