Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Sept 24: Enthused and encouraged by the tremendous response of Central Government employees towards the Leave Travel Concession (LTC) facility for visiting Jammu and Kashmir, the Union Government has extended the facility for two more years up to 2014.
Talking to Excelsior, Director Tourism Kashmir, Talat Parvez, said that the extension of LTC facility for the Central Government employees is significant as more than two million domestic tourists have visited Kashmir valley during 2011 and 2012. Talat said that the order for extension of LTC facility was issued on July 12 by the Union Government.
Talat said that unlike the past the LTC facility has been extended for all the airlines operating their services to the State. He said in past this facility was available with the national carrier adding that it was not possible for all to avail the facility since the carrier was single.
“As on date 23 flights are operated at the Srinagar airport and there is tremendous rush of tourists during peak tourism season. Since the LTC facility has been extended to all the private aircraft carriers, more and more employees are booking their tickets through these airlines. All this augurs well for the future and hopefully in the coming years millions and millions of Tourists would visit Kashmir valley”, said Talat.
Meanwhile, the tourism Department in its bid to up-grade the tourist infrastructure in the Kashmir valley has constructed tourism huts at Kokernag, Watlab, Verinag, Yusmarg, Ladakh and Pangong Lake in Ladakh division. The Tourism Department is also coming up with budget accommodation for tourists at tourist places like Aharbal, Manasbal, Kokernag, Watlab, Doodhpathri, Yusmarg and Khilanmarg.
Talat exuded confidence that adventure sports activities like rock climbing, rafting, motor biking and Himalayan Car Rally would give necessary boost to the tourism activities in the Kashmir valley.
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