Tourism will help promote dialogue,ensure peace: Mehbooba

Tourism is one of the best means to promote dialogue as it gives ample opportunity to people to know each other better, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has said.

"Tourism promotes interactions at people's level, removes misgivings and creates bonds of amity among various sections of society. That is why every tourist visiting the state is a step towards peace," Mehbooba said while interacting with a group of tourists on the sidelines of a three-day snow festival at the famous ski-resort of Gulmarg last evening.

Mehbooba asked the guests not to get carried away by what they see on TV channels, but come to experience the truth on their own."The impression about the state will improve consequentially



with more and more tourist arrivals as they will be judging the place for themselves rather than relying on newsroom discussions of some news channels," she said.

The three-day festival is expected to showcase winter attractions at the famed tourist resort.

During the festival, events such as snow cycling, snow zorbing, snow tubing and ATV race would be held at Gondola base station.

Minister for Tourism Tassaduq Mufti, Afghan Ambassador Shaida Mohammad Abdali, Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant, Additional Solicitor General of India Pinki Anand, well-known columnist and British parliamentarian Meghnad Desai, filmmaker Imtiaz Ali, and writer Rakhshanda Jalil were present on the occasion.