NEW DELHI: In the wake of dwindling European tourists, Jammu and Kashmir is targeting travelers from Southeast Asia with adventure tourism activities like motor biking, rafting and paragliding.
With these, the state, which is endowed with abundant natural scenic beauty and popularly referred to as ‘Heaven on Earth’, will attract adventurous visitors, who traditionally flock the Himalayas for skiing.
“Earlier, we used to get Europeans for handicrafts, leisure and climate. But now, Europeans have (been issued) advisories not to visit Kashmir. Now, we are getting Southeast Asians because they do not have advisories against Kashmir,” Talat Parvez, Director Tourism, Kashmir told PTI here.
About 65 per cent of the 1.15 lakh international tourists, who visited the state last year belonged to the Southeast Asian countries, he said.
The Valley offers diversified adventure activities in air, land, snow and water to lure tourists, the official said, stressing that Turkey was the key competitor in this sector.
“The competition for adventure (tourism) is not with any other state of India, but with Turkey,” he said.
With historical Buddhist centers, the state has an edge over other destinations for wooing travelers from the Southeast Asian nations.
“We are focusing on Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. These tourists are coming for new adventures and new sites… We could also find their arrivals in our Valley, as well as Ladakh for seasonal and Buddhist attractions, respectively,” he said.
Besides this, the tourist paradise is also marketing the picturesque Jammu and Ladakh regions as golf destinations.
State tourism officials said while golf circuit was launched in Jammu, a golf course is in the offing in the Ladakh region.
Kashmir forms the part of an extended package in the itinerary of international visitors to India, who visit other tourist attractions like Agra and Delhi. -PTI
