Sixty motorcyclists started from the scenic Jammu Tawi Golf Course (JTGC) here to Basohli in Kathua district as part of a rally aimed at promoting tourism in Jammu division, officials said.
The bike rally, organised by the Directorate of Tourism, Jammu on the occasion of the World Tourism Day, was flagged off jointly by Divisional Commissioner (Jammu) Raghav Langer and Additional Director General of Police (Jammu) Mukesh Singh.
"This is basically a tourism promotion event in which 60 bikers will travel through Suransar and Mansar before reaching their final destination Basohli. Various events are also planned enroute to promote tourist destinations," Langer told reporters after the flagging-off ceremony at JTGC Sidhra.
The officials said the bikers will travel nearly 150 km before reaching the picturesque Basohli. They will stop at identified spots enroute, including the twin lakes of Suransar and Mansar, to participate in tourism promotion events.
Congratulating the Tourism Department for the event, the divisional commissioner said efforts are on to promote Sidhra-Basohli route as a biking and cycling circuit.
"Tourism in Jammu and Kashmir is a key sector which boosts the economy. The Lt Governor-led administration is making all-out efforts and organising tourism promotion events to achieve pre-Covid footfall of tourists and promote unexplored destinations," Langer said.
He said Jammu is a tourist friendly division with a lot to offer to the visitors.
"There are a lot of tourist destinations in Poonch-Rajouri, Chenab valley, Patnitop-like hill resorts which have no parallel. The people are tourist friendly... the tourists will have an enthralling experience and I am sure that they will like to come again and again," Langer said.
The divisional commissioner said the administration is holding an iconic festival at various places next week to promote pilgrimage tourism.
The nine-day Navratra festival is scheduled to begin at Katra, the base camp for the pilgrims visiting Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Reasi district, on October 7. The highlight of the festival are a devotional song contest, wrestling competition, 'Prabhat Pheris', 'Shobha Yatra', 'Mata ki Kahani' recitation and other cultural items.
The divisional commissioner said the administration is also working on the promotion of border tourism.
"Lt Governor Manoj Sinha has taken several initiatives and you will see the development very soon" Lagner said when asked whether the government was planning to promote Octroi outpost on the line of Wagah border in Punjab to attract tourists.
