Secretary, Tourism and Culture, Sarmad Hafeez, today held an interaction with the travel operators at SKICC to chalk out strategy for promotion of tourism activities in untapped tourist destinations of the valley as well as winter tourism.Director Tourism, G N Itoo, officers of tourism department and Youth Services and Sports and members of various travel and tour associations, winter sports associations and hotelier associations were present on the occasion.Secretary informed that seventy five new tourist destinations with huge potential are being tapped in Jammu and Kashmir, of which, thirty eight destinations are in Kashmir.
He said that tourism department is installing hoardings displaying tourist and adventure areas of Kashmir at airports, metro stations and metropolitan cities of the country to attract domestic as well as international tourists.Sarmad said the tourism department is promoting visibility of tourist destinations by utilizing the social media and bloggers which can play an effective role to further boost the tourist influx to the UT.He impressed upon the participants to make their contribution which will make huge impact on boosting tourism. He invited them to provide innovative suggestions and ideas that would amplify and promote tourism potential of famous destinations as well as new untapped areas.Secretary added that skiing will soon be started at Sonamarg and funds have been provided for building skiing lifts there.