No need to visit European countries for marketing which have issued travel advisories: Mahmood
Following the introduction of the helicopter services in Kashmir, the department of Tourism Kashmir is aiming to attract high-end tourists within India and other Asian countries.Terming the year-2015 as ‘satisfactory’, Director Tourism Kashmir Mahmood A Shah said Valley has huge market from Asian countries for high-end tourists which, if taped, would give major boost to Kashmir tourism sector.
“Kashmir has huge market across India and other Asian countries for high-end tourism. We need not to stick to European countries and plead for revoking travel advisories issued against Kashmir,” Shah told.
“We are already receiving good number of high-end tourists from the other states of India. We need to tap our huge domestic market to boost our tourism,” he said.
Meanwhile, Shah said that as compared to previous years particularly in the year 2014, the arrival of domestic as well as foreign tourists during past 11 months was “satisfactory”.
Shah said that as the winter has set in, tourism department is expecting a good winter season ahead. “We are not only expecting good tourist arrival during winters but also a major tourist arrival in 2016,” he said.
“Now tourism is back on the track after being severely hit by the floods in 2014 followed by negative reporting by media,” he said.
He said preparations for the winter tourism were going in full swing across all winter tourist destinations in Kashmir.
“Roads have already been blacktopped at Gulmarg and other winter tourist spots. The winter season almost starts from Christmas onwards. We have also upgraded the second phase of the Gondola to provide hassle- free ride to the skiers and regular tourists,” he said.
He said under the up-gradation program, new cabins have been placed which are more comfortable and have good space to carry the ski and snowboards of adventure lovers. “Earlier cabins were not comfortable and could not carry the skis and snowboards,” he said.
He said that heli-skiing would be started at Sonamarg and Pahalgam destinations to woo tourists and skiers during the winter.
“We have been holding heli-skiing only in Gulmarg but from this winter we will start it at Pahalgam and Sonamarg as well,” he said.
He said on Christmas occasion, a snow carnival would be held for the tourists at Gulmarg and other snow ski camps at other tourist destinations to promote winter tourism in Kashmir.
Chief Minister, Mufti Muhammad Sayeed who met number of Bollywood actors including Shah Rukh Khan sought arrival of film industry to return to the valley for shootings to promote the Kashmir tourism.
