Air India, state government, hoteliers, tour and travel operators have announced special packages for tourists visiting the valley from May 15 to May 29.
“Government would focus on highlighting the local heritage besides organising trips to lesser known tourism destinations in the state during the festival,” Tourism Minister Ghulam Ahmad Mir said.
There has been a sharp fall in violence in Kashmir since the opening of a slow moving peace dialogue between New Delhi and Islamabad in 2004.
The decline in violence has been reflected in a growing perception that it was safe to visit Kashmir, with a record number of tourists flocking to the valley this last summer.
Tourism officials said nearly 1.5 two million tourists, including thousands of foreigners, had visited Kashmir last year.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday stressed that peace and tranquility hold the key to groom and grow the tourism industry in the state for which over Rs 383 crores have been sanctioned during the last four years by his government.
“People from all the three regions of the state are equal stakeholders in the tourism industry. Balanced approach has to be taken to rope in tourists from within the country and abroad,” he said.
Omar chaired the tourism advisory committee meeting in Srinagar a day before festival.
Other festival highlights include an exhibition of local arts and crafts beginning here Tuesday, a boat race on the Dal Lake, golfing, trekking, para-gliding, cycling, photography and painting competitions, food shows and horse races.
The minister also said that banks of the Jhelum river here would be illuminated during the festival.
All-terrain vehicle demonstrations and river rafting would be organised in Pahalgam, Sonamarg, Yusmarg, Mansbal, Daksum and Kokarnag.
The festival will end May 29 with a special Qawwali programme at the Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) on the edge of Dal Lake.
(Free Press Kashmir)
