J-K plans big to woo tourists in winter

Jammu and Kashmir's tourism department has gone on an overdrive to attract tourists for the forthcoming winter season by offering helicopter services for picturesque Gulmarg and Pahalgam.
Tourism Secretary Farooq Shah gave the details during his interaction with leading tour operators of the national capital and Mumbai.
"Tourists, after landing at the Srinagar airport, can hop on to the helicopter and reach Gulmarg or Pahalgam within no time. The helicopter services will help giving a boost to winter tourism," he said.
There are many Indians who travel to Switzerland for skiing, he said, adding but the Jammu and Kashmir government is offering similar facilities at a much lower price in the state.

He described the launch of helicopter services and air safaris as a big initiative and hoped that these will have a multiplier effect with more and more upmarket travellers preferring chopper travel directly from the airport to the Valley's premier tourist destinations like Gulmarg and Pahalgam to save time.
Rs 10,000 will be charged for to and fro helicopter travel for Gulmarg while the price for return journey for Pahalgam has been fixed at Rs 12,000.

In response to queries from travel agents about the infrastructure, Shah said many big hotel chains have already started investing in the available hotels.

"With the announcement of a financial package by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the state government plans to make the state the best tourist destination not only in the country but in Asia," he said.
Modi had announced a package of Rs 80,080 crore for the state out of which Rs 2241 crore have been earmarked for new projects and tourist circuits, and setting up of 50 tourist villages.
Shah also made it clear that the state government was mulling a plan to provide air tickets at a cheaper rates in case the airlines increase the prices in view of tourist rush.

He also said that the state tourism department wanted to promote "corporate tourism" whereby leading companies can have a retreat in the Valley.