Jammu: The Chenab valley could become the next big destination of Jammu and Kashmir after Kashmir valley but the government needs to develop infrastructure and improve road connectivity.
This was the observation of the Travel Agents Association of Kashmir (TAAK), which held a three-day visit to different tourist destinations of Ramban, Doda and Kishtwar districts.
Talking to ETV Bharat, Secretary General of TAAK, Sajad Ahmed Kralyari, who was part of a group of over 30 tour agents of Kashmir, said they were amazed to see the hidden beauty of the twin districts of Doda and Kishtwar, which remain unexplored.
"Our three-day fame tour, which commenced by visiting the famous tourist destination Patnitop on November 9, was organised by the Jammu and Kashmir tourism department. We visited several places including tourist destinations of Bhaderwah like Guldanda, Jai valley, Bhaderwah town and different areas of Kishtwar district. We found it beautiful and amazing and by summer it can be part of our tour programmes,” Kralyari said.
The J&K Tourism department had organised this trip for TAAK to promote the tourist destinations of the Jammu region, especially areas falling in Chenab valley where tourists visit but still many are not aware of it.
Sajad Ahmed Kralyari said that many tourists want to visit areas which are less crowded and they try to explore new things. “We call it offbeat and if possible a small group of such tourists can be diverted to snowbound areas of Bhaderwah which are accessible through roads. Many tourist groups want 10-day or more packages and it takes six to seven days to explore different areas of Kashmir valley. We can add Doda and Kishtwar district as well to provide them the variety,” he added.
The TAAK delegation was headed by its president Rouf Ahmed Tramboo, who according to the secretary general was impressed with the beauty. “He is an adventure lover and had visited the area somewhere between the 1980s-90s. Other members also expressed satisfaction over the visit and I am still receiving messages from many of them planning another visit next summer,” Sajad Ahmed Kralyari said.
TAAK delegation also met deputy commissioners of the Doda and Kishtwar districts and expressed satisfaction with their positive response. The joint director of Tourism Jammu Sunaina Sharma Mehta received the delegation in Patnitop on November 9. The delegation returned to Kashmir via Sinthan top of Kishtwar district on November 11 evening.
“The purpose of the visit was to bring into the map of TAAK so that whenever they get bookings from outside, they can keep these areas of twin districts of Doda and Kishtwar also into the programme which will benefit the area,” said Aamir Rafiqi, an officer of Bhaderwah Development Authority (BDA) who was coordinating with the TAAK delegation.
