Jaipur: Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said that Jammu and Kashmir will once again see a surge of tourists. The Government of India and Government of Jammu and Kashmir have made extensive preparations for this.
“The terrorist attack in Pahalgam had badly hit the tourism in Jammu and Kashmir but the efforts of Government of India and Government of Jammu and Kashmir, tourism activities have now started there, and the valley will once again a see a surge of tourists,” said the union minister to the media in Jodhpur on Friday.
Shekhawat was on a two-day visit to J&K to take stock of the tourist activities in the valley after the terrorist attack. He visited the place of attack in Pahalgam and some other historic places like Avantipura temples and met tourists and locals including the Sajjad Ahmed Bhat, who saved the lives of tourists during the terrorist attack in Pahalgam.
Shekhawat said “we want to take Kashmir beyond Sonmarg and Pahalgam so that tourists explore and enjoy the untouched places of the valley. “
He said that Kashmir has historic archaeological splendor, which is being preserved by ASI, an ancient asset of thousands of years and the government is working to link them to tourism. Shekhawat said "I can say with confidence that the kind of preparations that the Ministry of Tourism of the Government of India and the Government of Jammu and Kashmir have made, in the coming 15–20 days, tourists will once again return to the valley as before. Tourism in the state will once again touch new heights.”