OWAIS FAROOQI
Bandipora, Nov 16: The Tourism department officials Tuesday said that extensive promotion of the Wular Lake had been started to bring it at par with the world-known destinations like Dal Lake, Gulmarg, Sonamarg and other places to tap its tremendous tourist potential.
Attending the Wular Festival organised by the Bandipora district administration in collaboration with the Tourism department, Secretary, Tourism, and Culture, SarmadHafeez said, “Like Dal, Wular Lake too is a part of our identity. The lake is also one of the most beautiful and Asia’s biggest fresh water lakes with tremendous potential”.
Hafeez said, “The department aimed to realise its tradition and potential and promote Wular Lake as an independent tourist destination.”
He said while destinations like Gulmarg, Pahalgam, and Sonamarg were well known, destinations like Wular were untapped despite Wular being one of the finest such destinations.
Hafeez said that there was a need to create basic roadside facilities and public utilities so that people could enjoy the natural beauty of the lake.
He said various events were being organised to bring the attention of the people around the country towards the beauty of Kashmir.
“Apart from that, we are going to organise a promotional campaign too. Moreover, many roadshows around the country and advertisements campaigns are also on,” Hafeez said.
He said that with the introduction of the Film Policy by the Lieutenant Governor the department aimed to revive the romance of the film industry with Kashmir so that people come and shoot films here and local stakeholders benefit.
Hafeez said several steps were being taken to improve the services to give tourists a local experience.
“Other than the beautiful lake, the cuisine, water chestnuts, lotus stem and fish from the lake are things which can be developed so that tourists who visit here get a local experience,” he said.
Hafeez said water sports activities would also be started in the lake.
He said that there was a tremendous potential for the Wular Lake to emerge as a bird watching site.
“We are going to organise a grand bird watching festival wherein we will get renowned bird watchers from around the country. This place will become a destination for bird watchers from around the country as different migratory birds arrive here,” Hafeez said.
Speaking on the occasion, Director Tourism GhulamNabiItoo said, “The Tourism department has identified 75 untapped destinations including Wular Lake. We want to promote it on a high scale because of its tourism potential.”
He said apart from the beauty of the lake, bird watching, boating, and water sports to have a scope here.