Budgam (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], March 7 (ANI): The Tourism department of Jammu and Kashmir kicked off a three-day tourism festival at Doodhpathri tourist resort in Budgam district on Saturday.

The main aim of organizing this festival was to promote Doodhpathri as an attractive tourist resort just like Gulmarg and Pahalgam. Doodhpathri is a green, open meadow and beautiful valley about 42 kilometres from Srinagar.

A vast meadow with lush green grass enhances the beauty of Doodhpathri as a tourist destination.

The water flowing through the meadows has a milky appearance from a distance and some people say that the cattle that graze here produce a rich quality of milk, which is why the place is called "Doodhpathri" (Valley of milk).

Shepherds from different across the Valley travel to the meadows with their livestock. Doodhpathri is a favourite destination for locals during the summers as the cold breeze and the green lush forest provides relief to visitors.

The three-day festival will host multiple adventure sports, cultural events and display Kashmiri art and handicrafts for the visiting tourists. Large numbers of locals and senior officers of the district administration participated in this event.

"This event has been organised to attract tourists. Several roadshows were held and people from across the country visit Gulmarg, Pahalgam. We hope that this event will increase footfall here just like other places. The tourists who participated in the event today may return as ambassadors and bring more people in the coming years," said Dr Ghulam Nabi Yatoo, Director of Tourism in Kashmir.

"I am very excited about the revival of tourism here. The activities here are quite winter-oriented and I am sure that tourists will have a good time. I request all tourists to come and see Doodhpatri and add this piece of heaven to their travel list," said Nasir, a local radio jockey who participated in the event.

"This is very good. People only go to Gulmarg and other well-known places. Tourists should come more often as it is a very good destination for tourism. It will stimulate tourist activity. This festival will go a long way in bringing more tourists," said a local vendor. (ANI)