Srinagar | WTNS | Syed Amin Mosavi | Feb 02:Snow or not, the Tourism department is determined to attract a larger influx of both foreign and domestic tourists this year, aiming to surpass last year’s 2.11 Crore arrivals. The pipeline includes strategic moves such as Khelo-India events, tourism promotion campaigns, national conferences, and foreign tours targeting stakeholders to entice international tourists. In a recent conversation with Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Commissioner Secretary Tourism Yasha Mudgal underscored Kashmir’s enduring allure for both domestic and foreign tourists. Mudgal revealed that numerous offbeat destinations are primed to host visitors this year, emphasizing the department’s primary goal of attracting an increased number of foreign guests to J&K. She disclosed plans for an array of upcoming tourism promotion events, including mega conferences at SKICC, designed to inject fresh energy into the tourism sector.

Expressing active support for various initiatives, Mudgal voiced commitment to the Khelo-India program and other events scheduled in Gulmarg, Pahalgam, and offbeat destinations. Additionally, she outlined intentions to organize foreign tours for tour operators, travel agents, and stakeholders, aiming to elevate international tourism promotion campaigns to a global scale.

The Commissioner Secretary Tourism asserted the department’s ambitious target of surpassing last year’s 2.11 Crore tourist arrival figures, expressing optimism about witnessing a higher influx of tourists in the current year. A tourism official, reflecting on the success of offbeat destinations and Line of Control (LoC) Tourism in the previous year, highlighted the presence of 55,000 foreign guests among the 2.11 Crore tourists. Despite a dry January, the official remains hopeful about potential tourist attractions in February and March, driven by the lingering snow and the cooler climate in Kashmir. The collective expectation is for a thriving tourist season in the coming year.