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Written by: Current News Service

Created: 02 April 2019

• Kashmir beauty, hospitality overwhelms tour members

SRINAGAR: The media persons from Maharastra who were on a 3-day Familiarisation Tour to Kashmir were mesmerised by the Valley's beauty and local hospitality. The tour concluded on Tuesday. Describing Kashmir a true paradise on Earth, the members expressed their satisfaction and promised to visit as Kashmir again as tourists with friends and family. Devanshu Desi of Chitrlekha magazine,  a weekly news magazine published in Gujarati and Marathi, said he was not only mesmerised with the beauty of the place but also with the warm-hearted people.

"There is a wrong notion among the people outside J&K about people of the Kashmir and this place but things are quite different. We enjoyed at every place and everyone who interacted, be it a hotelier, houseboat owner, Shikara rower or shopkeeper, they treated us as guests. It is amazing, we don't find such kind and good-natured people too often anywhere. During my tour, I was constantly sending my pictures and videos to family and friends showing them how beautiful Kashmir is," he said.

It was Devansh's first visit to Kashmir and he felt 3-days is too less time to satisfy him for this visit. "I wish to stay more. I will come back with my family. Kashmir is a must visit a place," he said. Chinmay Kale of Maharashtra Times also visited Kashmir first time with this group. He said the experience of this tour will remain etched in his best memories ever. "I have fallen in love with this place and I wish to write about Kashmir tourism and its culture and people to portray the real picture of this place. We have so many things to take from here and share with the people who have a lot of misconception about this beautiful Valley," he said.

He said reporting facts are very essential for media persons and this FAM tour opened their vision about Kashmir. Other media persons who were part of this FAM tour include Sambhaji Gand male of Sakal, the largest circulating   Marathi newspaper, Durgesh Sonar of Sam TV, one of the leading news channels in Maharashtra,  Veerendra Talegaonkar of Loksatta, Marathi daily newspaper published by The Indian Express Group, Nikesh Dave of  Mumbai Samachar, one of the oldest newspapers in India.

The 7-member group was also accompanied by Abhijeet Patil of Raja Rani Travels who has been marketing Kashmir for many decades. During the 3-day tour,  the group visited Royal Springs Golf Course, Tulip Garden, Dal Lake, Char Chinar on the first day. They also had an interactive meeting with local travel and hospitality sector here at SKICC  which was chaired by Director Tourism Kashmir Nisar Ahmad Wani.

On the second day, they visited Gulmarg and also enjoyed a Gondola ride to the second phase at Apharwat Peak. On their return from Gulmarg, the Director Tourism Kashmir also arranged their meeting at Directorate meeting hall with a  female group of 27-members from Maharastra who are currently holidaying in Kashmir. The female group narrated their beautiful experiences to the media persons and vowed to promote Kashmir among female travellers.

Later in the evening, the group also paid a visit to houseboats and also did shopping in the local markets inside Dal Lake for Kashmiri handicraft and other items. Notably, the department of tourism Kashmir organised a  grand roadshow at Mumbai where Advisor to Governor Khurshid A Gania and Secretary Tourism Rigzian Sampheal had invited media houses for a FAM tour.

"Kashmir needs no introduction for its beautiful landscape but it is not highlighted positively in media. We chose to invite vernacular media houses from Maharastra having large circulation and viewership to project Kashmir positively," said Dir Tourism Kashmir. Dir Tourism said the states like Maharastra and Gujarat are our leading markets where the department is making aggressive marketing and this FAM tour was one of such initiatives. He said more media houses from other states like Gujarat and Kolkata will be invited on a FAM trip to promote tourism.