Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 30: Minister of State for Tourism, Education, Technical Educa-tion, Culture, Horticulture, Floriculture and Parks, Priya Sethi today said that J&K intends to celebrate remaining 2017 as Year of Adventure Tourism to attract people from all over the world and make State blink on international tourism map. Summers witnessed mixed response from tourists and now adventure sports like white water rafting, skiing, snow skating, mountain climbing, stay in tree house, snowboarding and trekking will all be encouraged to attract more tourists.
She said that biggest attraction during coming Navratras in Jammu is going to be ‘Manokamana Yatra’ which will be first of its kind and stake holders from Kathua, Bani, Basohli, Rajouri, Udhampur and even Poonch will be taken onboard for purpose.
She was speaking during a meeting with various representatives of tourism associations regarding promotion of tourism destinations in Jammu. Commissioner Secretary Tourism, M H Malik and Director Tourism, Smita Sethi were also present in the meeting. Jammu, she added in months to come is going to be an independent tourism destination.
Giving details of Manokamana Yatra, Priya Sethi said to boost tourism sector in Jammu and to make it an independent tourist destination, it is going to be biggest attraction this Navrataras. Manokamna Yatra will encourage growth of spiritual, religious and pilgrimage tourism in Jammu during Navratras, she asserted saying that hoteliers of Jammu, Udhampur and Katra will have to play a bigger role in it.
Manokamna Yatra package in collaboration with Shri Mata Vaishnodevi Shrine Board in Jammu will make people travel on Jammu-Kol Kandoli – Deva Mai- Charan Paduka – Adhkwari-Bhawan on day one and on day two they will go and see Bhawan – Bhairo Ghati – Katra-Nau Pindi-Sihard Baba-Rafting at Dera Baba Banda Bahadur-Bawe Wali Mata-Mahamaya Temple. On day three tourists will be taken to Jammu-Surinsar-Mansar-Chichi Mata-Jammu-Suchetgarh and the fourth day will conclude with their visit to Jammu-Akhnoor-Jammu Darshan which will include visit to Bagh-e-Bahu and Suchetgarh border.
She impressed upon the department to prepare and install hoardings depicting information about tourist destinations in and around Jammu city, adding that tourist should know that how far are the tourism places from the city. Priya Sethi said.
Priya stressed upon the officers of the department to speed up the pace of infrastructure projects and also ensure that all the projects which are nearing completion should be finished on priority so that improved infrastructure could be handed over for utilization by the tourists. She also stressed the need to dispel any negative perception about the situation in State and help increase tourist footfall from across the globe.
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