The Directorate of Tourism, Jammu today celebrated the 41st World Tourism Day, 2020 across Jammu Division at destinations like Suchetgarh Border, Katra, Bhimgarh Fort, Reasi, Mansar, Patnitop, Kishtwar, Basholi and Poonch with active participation of the Stakeholders like Tour and Travel Organizations, Hotel Associations, Taxi Union etc beyond officials of the Tourism Department and the Tourism Development Authorities. The main function was organized at Suchetgarh Border in collaboration with the senior officers of the 36 Battalion of BSF, where R.K. Katoch, Director Tourism, was the Chief Guest.
Director Tourism, Jammu explained the importance of the tourism sector, its revival in view of the ongoing pandemic and the need to widen its horizon to the rural areas for focusing on the preservation of socio-cultural heritage and preservation of values and traditions. He further added that the definition of tourism is not restricted to leisure trips only, but has got diversified by including Rural Societies/people for exchanging the values and traditions which could help in development of Rural tourism. Earlier, the Divisional Commissioner, Jammu Sanjeev Verma and Director Tourism Jammu, R.K.Katoch flagged-off the “Garud Seva Open roof Tourist Luxury Bus” with the slogan to “Chalo Suchetgarh Border” on this occasion. This new initiative of running such luxury bus from TRC, Jammu to Suchetgarh Border is part of the Border Tourism initiative taken by Jammu Paryatan headed by Baldev Khullar and Gian Sharma.
Several functions were held at Katra, Patnitop, Basholi, Poonch, Mansar, Kishtwar.