Adventure tourism an effective avenue of jobs for youth: Omar

Gulmarg, Kashmir: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today underlined that adventure tourism was an effective avenue of generating economic activities and providing wide-ranging job opportunities for youth.
“Educated youth have all the more openings in this field,” he said underscoring the need for trained and skilled human resources to give impetus to the sports and adventure tourism in the State, possessing rich potential in this area.
The Chief Minister was addressing a function here after inaugurating Rs 8.5 crore newly-relayed Gulmarg Golf Course, one of the oldest and highest green golf courses in the sub-continent at an altitude of 8700 feet above sea level.
Mr Abdullah said by the inauguration of 18-hole full-fledged golf course at the world famous tourist resort Gulmarg, a golf circuit in the State has been established.
“The golf lovers visiting the State can play golf at Srinagar, Pahalgam, Gulmarg and Jammu,” he said adding that a golf course in Ladakh on the banks of river Sind was also in offing.
The Chief Minister said organising golf events and showcasing this beautiful circuit world over would generate a regular flow of sportsmen in this discipline to the State and help in promoting tourism.
“Golf lovers can experience playing of golf in different conditions and in different climate during the stay in the State,” he added.
Mr Abdullah said his Government has flagged development and balanced growth of tourism as one of the important concerns in the policy planning. “For its great potential to generate employment for the people, especially the youth, measures have been initiated to effect holistic development of this sector,” he added.
Emphasising the importance of conservation of environment and ecology of the State, the Chief Minister said much damage has been caused to this aspect due to the haphazard constructions.
He asked the agencies concerned to ensure that no illegal construction takes place anywhere in the tourist resorts.
He said infrastructural development in agreement with the ecological and environment was the need of the hour and strict vigil was required in this direction.
Mr Abdullah said with the promotion of conventional tourism, the adventure, pilgrim and sport tourism potential of the State would receive focused attention. He said the Government was keen to restore the tourism glory of the State and showcase its high potential in adventure tourism.