Srinagar, May 12: Valley’s three reputed adventure tourism operating companies, M/s Highland Journeys, Adventure Call Tours and Travels, and Arbat Tours have launched a major adventure sports centre at scintillating Sonamarg.
 President, Travel Agents Association of Kashmir, Rauf Tramboo said the centre named “Kashmir Adventure Tourism Centre” will boost the adventure tourism in Kashmir.
 He said the International Youth Hostel at Sonamarg which will house the centre has been “outsourced” by the Sonamarg Development Authority to the three companies.
 “The hostel is an opulent building quite fit for promoting adventure tourism in the region,” Rauf said, adding that the property has been raised by the SDA in the most magnificent.
 The hostel has four dormitory halls and a number of rooms which can accommodate over 200 tourists. “The hostel has also facilities for snooker, billiards, table tennis, carom and chess etc,” he said.
 The building has a large conference hall where the conferences and cultural programs can be conducted by the corporate sector.
 Overlooking the Sindh stream, the hostel is about 1.5 kms from Sonamarg bazaar on the Sonamrg-Baltal road. “It is a cool and placid place, away from noise, crowd and dust. The Ladakh bound tourists can stop here to refresh during the lengthy halt period at Toll Post.”
 In its vivacious restaurant surrounded by tall pine trees one feels lost in the serenity of the ambiance that has majestic snow-clad mountains in the background. The hostel indoor restaurant offers multiple cuisines.
 Rauf said the management has decided to provide budget accommodation to the tourists and pilgrims, to run short adventure sports training courses for school, college, university, Bharat scouts, youth hostellers and NCC cadets, etc.
 The Centre is also planning to initiate the much needed Adventure Tourist Guide courses here, for which they have procured sophisticated equipment and engaged the services of highly trained experts.
 “There is a need to train the local youth for adventure tourism for which we have tremendous potential,” he said.
 “The Governor J&K is very keen to organize orientation courses in tourism subjects at the college and the university levels which would help them to seek jobs once they complete their studies,” Rauf said.   He said Director Tourism Kashmir and CEO Sonamarg Development Authority have assure their full support and assistance to the centre.”

Lastupdate on : Sat, 12 May 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 12 May 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sun, 13 May 2012 00:00:00 IST