About Us:

Set like a jewelled crown on the map of India, Kashmir is a multi-faceted diamond, changing its hues with the seasons - always extravagantly beautiful. Two major Himalayan ranges, the Great Himalayan Range and the Pir Panjal, surround the landscape from the north and south respectively. They are the source of great rivers, which flow down into the valleys, forested with orchards and decorated by lily-laden lakes.



The Mughals aptly called Kashmir 'Paradise on Earth' where they journeyed across the hot plains of India, to the valley's cool environs in summer. Here they laid, with great love and care, Srinagar's many formal, waterfront gardens, now collectively known as the Mughal Gardens. Anecdotes of four and five centuries ago describe their love for these gardens, and the rivalries that centred around their ownership. They also patronized the development of art & craft among the people of Kashmir, leaving behind a heritage of exquisite artisanship among thes people and making the handicrafts of the land prized gifts all over the world.

Kashmir is a land where myriad holiday ideas are realised. In winter, when snow carpets the mountains, there is skiing, tobogganing, sledge-riding, etc. along the gentle slopes. In spring and summer, the honey-dewed orchards, rippling lakes and blue skies beckon every soul to sample the many delights the mountains and valleys have to offer. Golfing at 2,700 m above the sea, water-skiing in the lakes and angling for prized rainbow trout, or simply drifting down the willow fringed alleys of lakes in shikaras and living in gorgeous houseboats are some of the most favoured ones.

The Directorate of Tourism has Tourist Offices in all the tourist resorts of the State. In addition, there are 6 promotional offices outside the State, one each at New Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Chennai and Kolkata. Also, there is one provincial Director of Tourism each for Jammu and Kashmir Divisions. For formulating and monitoring the plan schemes, the Directorate has a Planning Wing headed by an Assistant Director deputed by the State Planning and Development Department to assist the Director General. For overall marketing and promotion including production of literature and other promotional tools, undertaking of advertisement campaigns and coordination of various marketing and promotional efforts, the Directorate has a Publicity Wing headed by the Deputy Director Publicity.

The Directorate of Tourism is provided with and controls an Annual Plan Budget, which averages Rupees 160 million. The bulk of this amount is earmarked and utilized for providing incentives to the private-sector in the form of interest subsidy on loans advanced by various financial institutions for setting up or upgrading various tourism units. In addition, direct financial assistance is also given for conversion of residential houses as paying guest accommodation and for improvement of other facilities in the tourism sector. The Department also conducts Familiarization Tours of leading travel agents, tour operators and travel writers from within the country and abroad to different parts of the State.

Other related organizations of the Tourism Department are the Jammu and Kashmir State Cable Car Corporation (J&K CCC) and the Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC). The Cable Car Corporation operates a Gondola Lift at Gulmarg. It is also planning to set up similar facilities as joint ventures in different tourist resorts of the State. The Convention Centre has Conference facilities of International standard, and is connected to a five Star Hotel. An International Golf Course designed by World famous Golf Architect Robert-Trent Jones, Jr. is coming up in its vicinity.

There is a contingent of Tourist Police on deputation from the Police Department under the administrative control of Deputy Director Tourism ( Enforcement) for assisting him in the disposal of complaints of tourists. The Registration Act also confers compounding powers on the Deputy Director Tourism (Enforcement) enabling him to settle the complaints on the spot. For cases requiring prosecution, written complaint of a tourist is admissible as evidence even if he may have left the State.