Tourism Minister opens Gulmarg Snow Festival 2006

Jammu, Dec 25 (UNI) Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Minister Mohammad Dilawar Mir opened the week-long 'Gulmarg Snow Festival 2006' late last night amid fresh snow clad meadows and ski slopes in the tourist resort.

''Ski slops and ice skating environs in Kashmir and Ladakh region are unparallel and unmatching in the whole world,'' he said.

Jammu and Kashmir offered varied models of water tourism including ice skating, ice skiing, night skiing, snow scooter and sledge race at a very low expense comparatively and this edge needed to be promoted, the Minister said and urged the media to help the government in its efforts to highlight the scenic beauty of the Valley in the international tourism market.

Earlier speaking at a function in the Gulmarg Church, the Minister said the opening of the festival on the eve of Christmas depicted social ethos of the Kashmiri people.

UNI HGV SP HS VP0010