J-K govt hosts road-shows in Middle East to promote 'Kashmir'

Jammu and Kashmir government is hosting road shows in several Saudi Arabia cities to promote Kashmir as a holiday destination in the Middle East.
J-K officials led by Minister for Tourism G A Mir held the road shows in Jeddah, Riyadh and Damaam on May 19, 21 and today respectively.
Kashmir is welcoming tourists from around the world and especially from the Middle East and Saudi Arabia, quoting Mir official release said here today.
"Kashmir has often been described as the Switzerland of Asia. However, in actual terms the main valleys of Switzerland are like the sideways of Kashmir," the release said.

"Kashmir has the same blue sky and brilliant sunshine, but its purple hills are on a far grander scale and even if it has no sea, it has lakes and rivers and still more impressive snowy mountains," it said.
Mir also revealed that last year at least 26,000 Saudis visited India for holidays and many of them even travelled to Kashmir.

"We are keen to invite Saudi holiday makers to come to Kashmir and experience its great culture, heritage, history, people, delectable cuisine, intricate handicrafts and the world famous dry fruits," he said in a release.
The road shows held in the biggest city centres like Jeddah, Reyad and Damaam were organised to make the business tourism initiative a success and the tourism department is hopeful that the shows will attract numerous high end tourists to the state.

Mir is accompanied by Minister of State for Industries and Commerce and Home Sajjad Ahmad Kitchloo, Director Tourism Kashmir Talat Parvez and Chief Executive Officer, Gulmarg Development Authority Tariq Ahmad Ganai.