First biker group from Bahrain reaches Valley
Irfan Tramboo
Srinagar, Oct 13: The Government today said that the perceptions about travelling to Kashmir are fast changing and that there are people across the country as well as around the globe, especially in the Gulf, who want to visit the Valley to experience its dazzling beauty.
Secretary to the Government for Tourism, Sarmad Hafeez welcomed a group of 18 bikers from Bahrain—whose trip was facilitated by the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce & Industries (KCC&I)— as they reached Srinagar after visiting Ladakh.
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He said that they will go back as ambassadors of Kashmir and soon more such groups would reach Valley to have a lifetime experience.
“This is the first group of bikers from Bahrain who reached here and for that, the tour agencies deserve all the credit. They are all here and they will be visiting various places in Kashmir while today they will visit downtown to see the heritage this place has to offer,” he said.
He emphasized that the perceptions of travelling to Kashmir are transforming rapidly and that there are people who want to come to Kashmir. “We have people who want to come here from every corner of the country and the world; we recently had people from Canada holding a wedding in Kashmir and we are likely to have more such events being held here,” he said.
Sarmad said that these bikers have had a great experience so far and that they are quite pleased with the hospitality they have received from people. “They will go back as our ambassadors and soon you will have many more groups from the Gulf and other countries coming and visiting Kashmir which truly is heaven on earth,” he said.
He said that these bikers were earlier in Pahalgam and their arrival is a great start to finally have tourists from the Gulf and other countries reaching Kashmir. “We are soon going to regain the position of being the number one tourist destination in the country; which is something that we rightly deserve,” he said.
He said that the Government has created more facilities for tourists in Kashmir while the general emphasis is more on the promotion and development of experiential tourism. “These bikers, when they will go out, I am sure, they will have an experience of a lifetime,” he said.
While commenting on the future programs of the Tourism Department, he said that an MTB, off-road cycling event is going to be held next week in Ganderbal. “It is going to be a 45 km long cycling event in which people from across the country are going to participate; after that, we have an event to showcase the glory of the houseboats to the world, which is distinctive to this place only,” he said.
The bikers, who were present on the occasion, also expressed their joy after being finally able to reach Kashmir and said that they feel at home.
“I have come first time to India; we have been to Ladakh first; Kashmir is a beautiful place; the people are nice and we feel like we are in our country; it does not seem to be a different place; the weather is beautiful,” said one of the biker, Mahmood al-Arabi.
Another biker, Mahmood Radi said that he wants other biker groups to come to Kashmir and experience the beauty and hospitality that it has to offer to the tourists. “We came from Ladakh and now we have reached Kashmir. I feel happy and being in Kashmir is quite lucky. I would want other bikers to come to Kashmir,” he said.
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