Kupwara: Jammu and Kashmir administration is set to explore 75 offbeat tourism destinations for tourism as announced by Secretary Tourism Syed Aabid Rashid during Bungus Tourism festival inauguration in North Kashmir's Kupwara district on Sunday.
Addressing the gathering, the Secretary Tourism Syed Aabid Rashid said that organizing the Bungus Tourism Festival was a dream of Lieutenant Governo, Manoj Sinha as the administration is aimed to promote tourism and attract more visitors in times to come.
He said that there are clear directions of LG to explore offbeat destinations. "On the eve of 75 years of independence, for the first time 75 tourism destinations have been identified and being developed," Rashid said.
The Secretary Tourism assured that in the next couple of years Bungus will be quite a different tourist destination.
He said that Kupwara has great tourism potential.
"We are committed to exploring adventure and border tourism. More development will take time to come," he said.
He also urged locals to extend cooperation with the authorities. "Bungus in time will be a famous tourism destination across the globe," he assured.
Meanwhile, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Vijay Kumar Bhiduri appraised the meticulous preparations made for the Bungus festival, undertaken at the behest of Jammu and Kashmir LG.
He said on the direction of J&K LG, tourism potential of the Valley is being explored.
From Pahalgam, Dal Lake and other places, now Kupwara is becoming the tourism hub of the valley. "30,000 tourists have so far visited the Keran sector alone. Not just the locals, visitors rather from the rest of the country are visiting there."
He said that some locals have pitched tents there. "They are earning a livelihood. Youth are getting engaged. Over one crore tourists visited last year while so far 1.58 tourists visited here."
He assured that with promotion more tourists will come in times to come.
(KNO)