Srinagar, March 12 -- Five years after the picturesque Gurez Valley near the Line of Control (LoC) in North Kashmir's Bandipora district was thrown open to commercial tourism, the Jammu and Kashmir government has announced plans to establish a tourism development authority (TDA) in the remote area that saw more than one lakh tourist arrivals in 2024.

Once considered out of bounds for civilians due to cross-border firing and militancy, Gurez is set to emerge as a new destination for nature-lovers and adventure-seekers. "Gurez valley has emerged as a popular destination and a tourism development authority will be set up for it," chief minister Omar Abdullah, who also holds the tourism portfolio, told the assembly last week.

Last year, mor...