- Record number of tourists visit Ladakh last year: Dir Tourism
SRINAGAR: Ladakh bagged “best Adventure Tourism Destination” award at the Outlook Traveller Awards 2018 (OLT Awards) function held in New Delhi. Director Tourism Kashmir Mahmood A Shah said the trekking activities like Chadar trek on the frozen Zanskar River, hiking to Stok Kangri (6121 m) and Nun and Kun Peaks (7135 m), besides biking to Pangong Lake are popular activities attracting a large number of travellers.
The Director said camping, double hump camel rides and traditional sports of horse polo and archery also attract adventure enthusiast from across the world. The department organized Kargil road show twice in the last year to highlight the potential of the region among adventure travellers. The Director said owing to department’s vigorous promotional campaign, Ladakh received record number of over 2.77 lakh tourists last year.
“We have been organising festivals and adventure sports activities both in Kargil and Leh to make the destination popular among the visitors especially adventure travel enthusiasts. Many travelers visit the places in Ladakh on motorbikes and on MTBs,” he said. “We are hopeful to witness increased footfall this year and surpass last year’s record arrivals.” The director said the tourism department also organized adventure race ‘India Expedition’ in September 2017 followed by Leh Festival which showcased the adventure potential of the region across the globe.
To expand the scope of adventure tourism in Ladakh, the department has opened new areas and routes like Agham Shyok Road to reach Pangong Lake from Nubra without having to return to Leh. “The new road reduces journey between two places considerably and encourages the travellers to visit Pangong Lake through Shayok River,” said Director Tourism. To give better experience of the Leh market to the visitors, the department also developed and pedestrianized the market beautifully. The department under various schemes also supported the local stakeholder for construction and up-gradation of hotel and guest houses to increase the bed capacity in Ladakh in view of the increased tourists footfall to the cold desert.