SRINAGAR, April 27 -- The surge in the tourist footfall this season is the highest since the Tulip Garden was opened for the public in 2006.

The union ministry of tourism has recently asked the J & K tourism department to start initiatives for the promotion of summer offbeat destinations.

This move has come close to the heels of a recent high level meeting by J&K chief secretary in which he discussed broader contours of strategy to promote religious, craft and heritage tourism in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir.

After the meeting Commissioner Secretary Tourism Yasha Mudgal told reporters, "As part of its promotional strategy, the Department of Tourism is taking various initiatives including FAM tour to heritage and pilgrim site, generating...