Record tourist arrival is peace dividend : Kashmir minister

Jammu, March 26 (IANS) Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Minister Nawang Rigzin Jora said Monday that a peaceful 2011 has been the year of making history in terms of arrival of record number of tourists and pilgrims while 'European nations see the atmosphere conducive for withdrawing negative advisory issued earlier.'

The minister stated in the legislative assembly Monday that the peace during the last year has 'given fresh impetus to the tourism activities in the state be it leisure or adventure tourism in the Valley and Ladakh.'

Jora said that Kashmir Valley received the highest ever number of 13.14 lakh tourists which was 79 percent higher than the previous year. Ladakh also witnessed an unprecedented increase in arrivals in 2011 which were 1.79 lakh, 136 percent more than the previous year.

He said, 'the inflow of pilgrims to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji has touched 10 million. Shri Amar Nath Ji pilgrimage went off very smoothly and highest ever number of pilgrims visited the cave this year.'

He informed the house that Germany has already withdrawn the Travel Advisory.

The state government with collaboration of centre is drawing future plans to boost the tourism sector, 'which can offer good employment to youth as well,' the minister added.