The government has announced sops to the visiting tourists on the eve of 3-days Kashmir Saffron festival scheduled to commence from 29th of this month at Visoo, Pampore in Pulwama District.The Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Development Corporation would provide 50% rebate on lodging and transport charges to the tourists visiting Kashmir besides private tourism players are also going to give concessions in boarding and lodging on Saffron and Diwali festivals.
This announcement was made by Minister for Tourism, Ghulam Ahmad Mir while chairing a high level meeting of officers convened to review the arrangement being made by various Departments for celebrating the Saffron festival here on Monday.Mir said that Tour and Travel Operators of Katra would also organize a fame tour to encourage Mata Vaishno Devi Pilgrim Tourists to participate in the saffron festival. He said during the festival days several tourist attractions would be showcased including saffron run, cultural programmes, laughter shows, flower plucking, painting competition besides setting up different stalls of agro-based products and traditional dresses for photography.
The Tourism Minister said that main objective of organizing the festival is not only to promote the rare and world famous Saffron of Kashmir but also to encourage and support the educated youth in taking tourism related entrepreneurial activities.The Minister directed the concerned Departments to make all arrangements for holding a successful festival. He directed for carrying out a mass publicity campaign regarding the Festival through print and electronic media especially outside the State to attract more and more tourists to the Festival. He also instructed for proper regulation of traffic on the National Highway near the festival site for smooth movement of vehicles.Mir also stressed for close coordination between departments for making the event a grand success, emphasizing that due care should be given to extend warm hospitality to the visitors.Commissioner Secretary, Tourism and Culture, Mr. Atal Dulloo, Director Tourism, Kashmir, Mr. Talat Parvez, Managing Director, JKTDC, Mr. Shamim Wani, Additional District Development Commissioner, Pulwama. Senior Officers of Agriculture,SKAUST, Police besides representatives of various Tourism Associations and Saffron Growers Association attended the meeting.