Arrival of tourists in Valley is biggest dividend of peace:

The highest dividend of peace is the arrival of tourists in great numbers particularly in Valley, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said today.
He said tourism has an important role in the state's economy and generation of wide-ranging economic activities for its people.
"Our efforts should be to develop and showcase the state for round the year destination for the tourists from all across the world," the chief minister said, adding, "the highest dividend of peace is the arrivals of tourists in great numbers particularly in the Valley."
Omar said peace conditions will always boost the tourism activities and help rope in large number of tourists.

"This speciality is yet another sphere of attraction for tourists besides mesmerising, enchanting and amazing natural resorts and wide-ranging fauna, flora and bio-diversity the state is blessed with," Omar said after inaugurating National Ski and Snowboarding Championship here, 52 kms from Srinagar.
The chief minister said that organising sports events particularly winter games give considerable fillip to showcase the state as the ideal destination of different sports.

Omar said winter sports in Gulmarg and other places need to be given further boost to provide opportunities to the participants particularly youth of the state to nurture their talent and develop as world class players.

Normally, youth studying in different educational institutions find occasions and platform to participate and show their sports talent in different games, he said but youth not obtaining education are mostly deprived of such occasions.
"We should also enhance opportunities and avenues for them," he said.
The chief minister said there is a need to promote winter sports particularly skiing in Gulmarg by upgrading ski slopes at Kongdoori and Mary Shoulder.
"This would help in holding the National and International Ski events in Gulmarg," he said.