Rehan Qayoom Mir
Srinagar, Dec 19: Declaring Jammu and Kashmir as the “Adventure Capital of India”, President of the Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI), Ajeet Bajaj, on Friday said the association will partner with local stakeholders to transform the Valley into a world-class adventure tourism destination.
Bajaj said the 17th ATOAI annual convention themed “Safe, Sustainable and Resilient Adventure Tourism”, received an “overwhelming” response, with delegates touring Pahalgam, Gulmarg and Sonamarg.
“Our members returned impressed. Jammu and Kashmir truly has everything that makes it a global adventure hotspot,” Bajaj said.
He added that the ATOAI held B2B sessions with local tour operators to build direct business links and ensure that “local enterprises benefit directly from national and international traffic.”
“The mountains are magnificent, the people are welcoming, and the spirit of adventure is unmatched. We want to steadily reopen all adventure zones and position Kashmir firmly on the global adventure map,” Bajaj said.
He said the ATOAI is also coordinating with the Ministry of Tourism to accelerate the revival of tourism in the Union Territory, describing the region as “the crown jewel of India’s adventure landscape.”
