Pahalgam, Oct 06: In a bid to extend economic benefits of tourism to the people in rural parts of the state, the Jammu and Kashmir government has decided to introduce the concept of paying guests and develop tourist villages near popular hill resorts . "Government will develop tourist villages adjoining famous resorts to extend economic benefits of tourist activity to the people in rural areas," Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed said addressing a function here yesterday. The state government would extend all possible support to the people to renovate and construct their houses near the resorts for use by tourists as paying guests, he said. "To begin with, Laripora and several other villages in and around Pahalgam would be developed as tourist villages with Pahalgam Development Authority extending all possible support for the purpose," he said. Sayeed announced the Pahalgam hill resort would be further developed as and international tourist destination by upgrading infrastructure facilities.
A cable car, similar to the one at Gulmarg gondola, would be laid at Baisaran near Pahalgam, which would be an added attraction to the locals and tourists at the resort, he said.
Sayeed expressed satisfaction over the tourist inflow in Kashmir and hoped it would increase next summer.
Bureau Report