Srinagar, Sep 27: In a major feat for the Jammu and Kashmir’s Tourism department, Dawar village of Gurez in northern district of Bandipora Wednesday bagged the best tourism village award from the Union Ministry of Tourism.

The award, as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), was received by the J&K’s Tourism Secretary Syed Abid Rashid on behalf of J&K government. “Dawar village bagged the award in golden category from across all villages in the country,” a top official told KNO.

Sources in the tourism department said that the move will help the border tourism further as government has already explored 75 off beat destinations to increase the number of foreign and domestic tourists to J&K.

Pertinently, this year so far. 1.55 Cr tourists including 40,000 foreign guests have visited the UT while the government is eying 2.25 Crore tourists this year