Srinagar, Aug 2: J&K is stepping up efforts to establish itself as a leading golf tourism destination by promoting its internationally acclaimed golf courses and hosting more national and international tournaments, Director Tourism Syed Qamar Sajad said on Sunday.
Speaking on the sidelines of the J&K Open at the Royal Springs Golf Course, Sajad said the Tourism Department has made golf promotion a priority over the past six months. He said this is the third major golf event organised during the period, following the first junior golf tournament in Pahalgam and a golf carnival at the Royal Springs Golf Course.
He said J&K possesses some of the finest golf courses in the country, including the Royal Springs Golf Course in Srinagar, the Pahalgam Golf Course and the historic Gulmarg Golf Course, which is among the oldest in the Indian subcontinent. These courses, he said, offer immense potential to attract golfers and tourists from across India and abroad.
Sajad said golf tourism is emerging as a high value segment globally and can make a significant contribution to the tourism economy of J&K. He said the department wants the world to know that the Union Territory has quality golf infrastructure and all the facilities required to host tournaments of international standards.
He said the government does not want golf to remain limited to a small section of society. More tournaments will encourage greater public participation and inspire young players to take up the sport. He added that the Royal Springs Golf Course will also begin a membership drive to attract more aspiring golfers.
The Director Tourism said special emphasis is being placed on junior golfers, describing it as a long term investment in the future of the sport. He said increased participation at the grassroots level will improve the standard of golf in J&K and help local players compete successfully at national and international events.
Sajad said the department will continue to organise more golf events in the coming years with the twin objective of promoting tourism and developing golf as a major sporting activity in J&K.
