Farmer arrived here on Tuesday after completing 64 days 'Spirit of India Run' covering 4,600 kilometres from Kanyakumari to Kashmir with an aim to strengthen Indo-Australia relations and raise funds for disadvantaged girls in India through Nanhi Kali Foundation.
Enamoured by the beauty of Kashmir, ultra marathoner and former Australian Member of Parliament, Pat Farmer has embarked on a mission to promote Kashmir tourism back home notwithstanding adverse travel advisories from the west.
Farmer arrived here on Tuesday after completing 64 days 'Spirit of India Run' covering 4,600 kilometres from Kanyakumari to Kashmir with an aim to strengthen Indo-Australia relations and raise funds for disadvantaged girls in India through Nanhi Kali Foundation.
What however proved to be music to the ears of the tourism planners was his desire to promote Kashmir tourism in Australia. "The Spirit of India Run is my way of making a difference. I feel elated to have finished this marathon at Nishat Garden. This is historic day for me to have finished it in Kashmir. I had never imaged Kashmir would be this much beautiful," farmer said
Farmer noted that he would promote Kashmir for tourism on his social networking sites including twitter and his personal website."I have already given interviews to international media especially from Australia where I talked about Kashmir's beauty. Kashmir is very beautiful. I would definitely promote it among Australians and in other countries," he said.
Several western countries had issued travel advisors to its citizens not to visit Kashmir after six foreign tourists– two British, Keith Mangan and Paul Wells, two American John Childs and Donald Hutchings, German, Dirk Hasert; and Norwegian, Hans Christian Ostro – were abducted by Al Faran, a front organization of Harkat-ul-Mujhadeen, from Aru-Pahalgam in 1995.
Despite improvement in security situation, most of the western countries have not lifted travel advisories which has hit the Kashmir tourism hard with foreign arrivals dipping considerably.
"It is a historical moment for Kashmir that world renowned marathon runner completed his Sprit of India Run in Srinagar. His last leg of marathon would promote the Valley not only in India but in Australia and other countries. These steps would help generate awareness about Kashmir's beauty and hospitable people," said Mehmood Ahmad Shah, director tourism Kashmir.
Tourism hard hit
Several western countries had issued travel advisors to its citizens not to visit Kashmir after six foreign tourists– two British, Keith Mangan and Paul Wells, two American John Childs and Donald Hutchings, German, Dirk Hasert; and Norwegian, Hans Christian Ostro – were abducted by Al Faran, a front organization of Harkat-ul-Mujhadeen, from Aru-Pahalgam in 1995. Despite improvement in security situation, most of the western countries have not lifted travel advisories which has hit the Kashmir tourism hard with foreign arrivals dipping considerably.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}