Director Tourism Kashmir, Nisar Ahmad Wani Tuesday inaugurated the 7-day skiing course for local youth here at Gulmarg.Twenty boys from different parts of the Valley participated in the first batch of the course. The department kick-started the ski course after many years to provide opportunity for the local youth to pick up skills in skiing.A large number of youth joined the course on first come first serve basis, who will be imparted the free-of-cost training in four separate batches. The department has also kept special course for girls who will also be imparted training for seven days free-of-cost.Professional ski instructors from the department besides other instructors were hired to impart professional training to the youth.Speaking on the occasion, Director Tourism Kashmir urged the participants to take full advantage of the course offered by the department to become professional skiers.He further urged the youth to full avail the opportunity and strictly follow all the instructions of the trainers.“We want you to become professional skiers so that you can participate in local, national and international events in the future,” he said.He said Gulmarg is the epicenter of the adventure activities and the department is providing every facility for the locals as well as tourists for all winter sports activities.The Director said the department is making all-out effort to promote not only Gulmarg but also Pahalgam as one of the top winter destinations of the country so that these places receive a good number of adventure lovers from across the world during winter months.Deputy Director Tourism Enforcement Amarjit Singh, CEO Gulmarg Development Authority Inamul Haq, SDM Tangmarg, Shabirul Hassan, Deputy Director Tourism Publicity Riyaz Ahmad Shah, Deputy Director Tourism Recreation Sarfaraz Mohammad, AD Gulmarg Nasir Mahmood, AD Publicity Javeed-ur-Rehman were also present on the occasion.