Kashmir valley has been witnessing a tourism boom over the past few years. However, the burgeoning popularity of well-known tourist spots has led to overcrowding that could impact the quality of experience for visitors. In light of this, the focus is shifting towards promoting new and offbeat tourism destinations in Kashmir to disperse visitor traffic. Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir, Atal Dulloo, recently chaired a meeting to review a proposal by the Tourism Department aimed at promoting lesser-known destinations. The proposal, set to be presented to the Union Ministry of Tourism and the World Bank for funding, outlines a comprehensive plan spanning the next four to five years. The initiative focuses on selecting destinations from both divisions of the state that are currently less frequented but possess unique strengths and potential for development. Dulloo emphasized the importance of developing these destinations into circuits that include nearby lesser-known spots. This approach ensures that tourists have a holistic experience encompassing various activities such as adventure, nature, leisure, pilgrimage, and eco-tourism. By diversifying the tourist offerings, the plan aims to alleviate the pressure on popular destinations and distribute economic benefits more evenly across the region. Key features of the proposal aim to leverage existing infrastructure and enhance connectivity, amenities and overall tourist experience. The plan includes a detailed gap analysis and identification of strengths at each site, ensuring a tailored development approach. The focus will be on enhancing bed capacity, improving surface and air connectivity, and upgrading communication networks, medical facilities, sanitation, and other essential amenities. The proposed development plan envisions a wide range of activities to attract diverse tourist segments. Adventure enthusiasts can look forward to paragliding, zip-lining, camping, skiing, trekking, mountaineering, rafting, and canoeing. These activities will not only provide thrilling experiences but also promote year-round tourism, mitigating the seasonal nature of tourist influx in the region. Additionally, the plan includes the development of zones dedicated to hospitality, fun, pleasure, and eco-tourism, ensuring a balanced mix of activities that cater to all kinds of travelers. The Jammu and Kashmir administration has already earmarked 75 new destinations including Bungus, Keran, Tangdhar, Gurez and Dawar along the LoC. This initiative comes in the wake of record tourist arrivals, underscoring the need to diversify tourist attractions. To promote rural tourism, specific activities will be organized along identified rural circuits. Notable circuits include Hokersar-Parihaspora-Gohan in Gulmarg, Waderbala, Nowgam Mawar-Lolab in Kupwara, Chari-Sharief-Doodhpathri-Yousmarg in Budgam, and Saderkoot Payeen-Watlab in Bandipora. These circuits will offer tourists an immersive experience of rural life. One of the primary objectives of the new tourism initiative is to address the problem of overcrowding in popular destinations like Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Dal Lake. By promoting offbeat destinations, the pressure on these hotspots can be significantly reduced, preserving their natural beauty and ensuring a better experience for visitors. Additionally, the focus on high-end and niche tourism aims to attract discerning travelers looking for exclusive and luxurious experiences. This segment has the potential to generate higher revenue and create upscale tourism infrastructure
‘Hidden Kashmir’
