Kargil, Jul 23 : After concluding their Kargil Festival Tour, the Maharashtra Tour Operators have expressed desire to promote the district as a complete destination and not as a transit point for the travellers.
Speaking at an interaction programme here, President, Maharashtra Tour Operators Association (MTOA) Sudhir Patil Monday said that the Kargil is a complete destination where travellers can easily spend many days to enjoy its beauty.
He said Kargil has been known as the war place but it is equally beautiful and has an equal number of tourist attractions as other parts of the State.
“We have been here for a few days and we are still not thinking to leave this place. There are so many attractions like Aryan Village, Suru Valley, Zanskar, Hunderman and several other places which are sellable and have huge tourism potential,” he said.
Sudhir Patil said the famous Nun Kun is one of the major attractions for adventure travellers.
“We will sell Kargil as a complete tourist destination and show the travellers within and outside the country what this district has to offer,” he said.
Patil said the Maharashtra tour operators will give Kargil an ample space in their publicity and promotional material, which is distributed extensively across the globe.
Chief Guest on the occasion, Chairman and Chief Executive Councilor (CEC), LAHDC, Kargil Kacho Feroz Ahmad Khan said the district administration is focusing on tourism and education to help the region grow economically.
“We don’t have any scope for any other sector but tourism which can change the economic dimensions of the region. We will earmark more funds for the tourism sector so that its promotion and publicity is done at a large scale,” he said.
While hailing the efforts of the travel and hospitality sector of Kargil district for bringing the region on the tourism map, Feroz said the administration would provide every support to any kind for tourism promotion.
Deputy Commissioner and CEO, LAHDC, Kargil Baseer ul Haq also assured his full support to the travel trade bodies for such promotional activities.
He urged the travel agents from Maharashtra to promote the region globally.
Chairman Jammu and Kashmir Hoteliers Club Mushtaq Chaya who headed the 12 member delegation from Kashmir to Kargil said the district has immense tourism potential which needs to be promoted within and outside the country.
Chaya hailed the people of Kargil for keeping the district neat and clean and have maintained the ecology of the district.
He said he was very impressed by how the tour operators and hoteliers have been working hard for the promotion of the region.
Chaya also urged Maharashtra tour operators to promote the region and other parts of the state, which have no match in the country.
J&K Hoteliers Club also announced ‘Hall of Fame’ award to President All Kargil Travel Trade Association Ashraf Ali which will be presented to him during Hoteliers Club’s Centenary Celebrations in October.
Earlier, Munshi Nasir Vice President All Kargil Travel Trade Association delivered the welcome address.
Executive Councillor LAHDC Phuntsong Tashi, AD Kargi Aga Taha, Chairman Pilgrim and Leisure Tour Operators Forum Nasir Shah also spoke about the youth of Kargil who changed the tourism scenario of a district in the last eight years.
Shah said that Kargil district has now the perfect ambience to be among the best hospitality destination of our State.
Chairman Tourist Trade Interest Guild M Akram Siah promised to promote Kargil in Thailand and Malaysia. He also said that he would bring FAM tour from Malaysia to Kargil next year.
SSP Kargil Vinod Kumar, President ALTOA Tsetan Angchuk, Chairman JKTA Manzoor Pakhtoon, Chairman AKTO Nazir Tunda, Secretary-General TAAK Farooq Kuthu, Secretary-General JKHC Tariq Rashid, Publicity Secretary KHARA Abdul Wahid Harco, Ali M Shangloo, Hanif Kawa of TASK, Inderpal Singh of PILTOF, Pahalgam Chapter Secretary Sheikh Maroof besides other prominent tour operators and media persons from Maharashtra were present on the occasion.
Later a coffee table highlighting Kargil tourism was also released on the occasion.
