Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, May 14: Minister for Tourism Ghulam Ahmad Mir today inaugurated fortnight Kashmir Tourism Festival 2013 at Kashmir Haat, where recreation facilities besides stalls have been put in place by different departments to showcase the rich tourism, Art and Culture of the Valley for attraction of tourists.
The fortnight festival was organized by Tourism Department with financial assistance of Central Government and in collaboration with different departments.
During the festival days different tourist related activities are being carried out at various tourism spots with focus to highlight adventure, golf, river and eco-tourism besides art and culture of the Valley.
Union Tourism Secretary, Parvez Deewan, District Development Commissioner Srinagar, Farooq Ahmad Shah, Director Tourism Kashmir, Talat Parvez, Chief Executive Officer Go-air, senior officers of various departments and representatives of Tourism Associations besides tourists and locals were among others present on the occasion.
Speaking at the inaugural function, Tourism Minister said that Kashmir Festival was organized after a long gap with the aim to bring back the tourism sector on the “revival path”. He said through the festival, the Government intends to introduce the cultural traditions including Sufi music, folklore and other art forms, adding that the Tourism Department along with the J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages (JKAACL) is also hosting a two-month folk festival across the Valley these days.
Mir said they were holding several adventure sports-related activities like paragliding and water sports that had not been exploited to its full potential.
On the development of unexplored tourist destinations, Mir said the authorities could not fully develop the infrastructure due to the un-favourable conditions in the past. However, he said, the Government was working on developing the required infrastructure so that the full potential of the tourism sector was exploited.
The Tourism Minister went around different stalls set up by Departments of Tourism, Agriculture, Horticulture, Handicrafts, Agro-Industries, Floriculture, Sericulture, Wildlife, Fisheries, Cultural Academy, IHM, Information, WDC.
Union Secretary for Tourism Parvez Dewan in his address said that Kashmir is distinct in Tourism potential and Centre and State Governments are making all out efforts to promote tourism industry in the State. He said 23% of Central Tourism Budget is being expended in J&K for promotion of tourism, adding that out of the total budget of Rs.400 crore, Rs. 98.71 crore have been released to J&K Government for upgradation of tourist related infrastructure.
Commissioner Secretary Tourism, Atul Duloo said that the aim for organizing Kashmir festival is not only to promote tourism activities but to showcase rich cultural heritage of the Valley. He said the sector guarantees employment to both skilled and unskilled and added that tourism also boost economy of other sectors.
Today’s event was witnessed by a large number of tourists, besides locals who hailed the efforts of the Government for promotion of tourism and culture in Kashmir.
The renowned Kashmiri artists presented variety of cultural programme on the occasion which enthralled and mesmerized the audience and received applause from everyone present on the occasion.
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