Tourism Dept showcases UT’s rich heritage, handicrafts, handlooms and emerging destinations
Ekta Nagar (Gujarat): Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Department showcased the Union Territory’s rich cultural heritage, traditional handicrafts, handloom products, unique One District One Product (ODOP) offerings and diverse tourism destinations at Bharat Parv in Ekta Nagar, Gujarat. The Jammu and Kashmir Pavilion also received a visit from the Prime Minister, who took keen interest in the region’s distinctive local products and cultural traditions.
The participation of the Tourism Department was organised under the guidance and supervision of Secretary Tourism, J&K, Avny Lavasa (IAS), and Managing Director, JKTDC, Akriti Sagar (IAS), with the objective of providing a national platform to promote the region’s cultural identity, indigenous products and tourism potential.
During his visit to the pavilion, the Prime Minister was briefed by Director Tourism, Jammu, Dr Vikas Gupta, about its theme, exhibits and the range of traditional handicrafts, handlooms, local products and tourism attractions on display.
The pavilion prominently highlighted the ODOP initiative, showcasing distinctive products associated with different districts of Jammu and Kashmir. The Prime Minister showed keen interest in the exhibits and enquired about products including Basohli paintings, Sulai honey, garlic and Rajma from Jammu, besides walnuts, saffron, Pashmina and Kani shawls from Kashmir. Other renowned handicrafts, handlooms and locally produced items were also displayed.
A major attraction was the live demonstration of traditional Sozni embroidery by renowned artisan Gulab Gilani, offering visitors a glimpse into the intricate craftsmanship and painstaking skills involved in creating this exquisite Kashmiri embroidery.
The cultural showcase was further enriched by a live Santoor performance by Younis Majid from Kashmir, highlighting the region’s distinctive musical heritage and artistic traditions.
The pavilion also promoted emerging and offbeat tourist destinations, including Patnitop, Bhaderwah, Basohli-Sarthal, Panchari, the seven lakes of Rajouri and Poonch, Gurez Valley, Bangus and Yousmarg. These destinations were highlighted for their scenic beauty, adventure activities, cultural heritage and unique visitor experiences.
The focus on lesser-explored destinations was aimed at diversifying tourism circuits, encouraging longer visitor stays, promoting local communities and creating fresh economic opportunities across different regions of Jammu and Kashmir. The pavilion also highlighted the UT’s potential in adventure, pilgrimage, heritage, rural and nature-based tourism.
Altaf Hussain Bhat, General Manager, JKTDC, Srinagar; Vishal Sadhotra, Assistant Director Tourism, Jammu; and Mushtaq Ahmad Bhat, Manager, JKTDC, Srinagar, were also present during the Prime Minister’s visit.
The participation of the Tourism Department and JKTDC at Bharat Parv provided an important platform to present Jammu and Kashmir’s diverse tourism offerings, traditional craftsmanship, indigenous products and vibrant cultural heritage before visitors from across the country.
The participating artists and artisans expressed gratitude to the J&K Government and the Tourism Department for providing them an opportunity to showcase their talent, traditional skills and artistic potential on a national platform. They said such initiatives help bring local craftsmanship into the spotlight while creating wider recognition and market opportunities for the region’s cultural products.
JK Tourism woos Travel Trade at IITM Mumbai
J&K Tourism made an impactful presentation at the B2B Networking Evening of IITM Mumbai-2026, held at Club Mumbai, with Joint Director Tourism Kashmir Waseem Raja and CEO, Surinsar-Mansar Development Authority, Vivek Puri, highlighting the Union Territory’s established and offbeat destinations, tourism offerings and recently organised events, including the successful Kashmir Marathon.
The presentation generated considerable interest among travel trade professionals, who raised queries and offered suggestions. J&K Tourism officials interacted with participants, shared information and highlighted business and collaboration opportunities. The initiative is expected to strengthen engagement with the travel trade and promote Jammu and Kashmir as a leading tourism destination.