Jaipur (Rajasthan)/Jammu, April 19 (Scoop News) –Minister for Tourism and Culture, Nawang Rigzin Jora, today extended a warm invitation to the people of Rajasthan to visit Jammu and Kashmir, a great land on earth known for its aesthetic splendor and magnificence.
The Minister was interacting with tour operators and media persons at a road show held at Jaipur in Rajasthan, organized by J&K Tourism Department.
The event was celebrated on the sidelines of “The Great Indian Travel Bazaar” (GITB). A number of foreign travel operators (FTOs) from South Africa, Japan, UK, USA, Germany, Thailand, China, Poland, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, local agents from Jaipur, besides members of the travel trade fraternity of the State participated in the event.
Jora said the beautiful tourist places of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh were awaiting tourists from Rajasthan, which has traditionally been a great market for the J&K State. He added that the people of Rajasthan have always had a great fascination for the myriad tourist attractions of J&K, particularly the revered shrines of Shri Amarnath Ji and Shri Mata Vaishnu Devi.
The Minister further added that tourist infrastructure had significantly been strengthened and upgraded at various resorts in the state, the people of which are known for incredible hospitality. He said State’s people were bracing up for approaching tourist season. He said varied tourist attractions was created to receive tourists round the year and it was expected that a large number of tourists from Rajasthan as well as other states of the country would visit J&K for leisure and adventure tourism as well as pilgrimages.
The Minister also threw light on the initiatives and tourism products of the state particularly golf, adventure tourism (skiing, trekking, water sports) and pilgrim tourism.
Jora sought wholehearted cooperation of the domestic and foreign tour operators to choose J&K as a premier and priority destination so that more and more tourists visit State in the coming months.
He also replied to queries of the local media and interacted informally with many invitees.
Mementos were presented to all FTOs and a power point presentation highlighting the tourism potential of all three regions of the sate was also given which was greatly appreciated by the audience.
The tour and travel operators of Rajasthan informed that they were keen to offer various tour packages for J&K State and assured the Minister that maximum number of tourists from other parts of the country would be visiting Jammu and Kashmir this year.
The Minister was accompanied by Director Tourism, Kashmir, Farooq Ahmed Shah, Deputy Director Tourism, Abid Maqbool Bhat, Dy. Director Tourism, General Manager, JKTDC, Shamim Wani, besides other senior officers of the department.
On the occasion, a brief presentation on the potential of tourism of all the three regions of the State was given by the State Tourism Officers which was highly appreciated and lauded by the tour operators.
A cultural programme depicting distinct culture, folk, and music of the three regions was also displayed, which mesmerized the audience.