A detailed study of Tourism Industry in Kashmir pertains to holistic approach to the following :-

• • Background of tourism in J&K
  • Demographic Data
  • Analysis from tourism perspective
  • Tourist arrival data for last 10-20 yrs
  • Type of tourists visiting
  • Requirements and expectations of tourists
  • Problems and suggestions of tourists, both prospective and visiting
  • Problems and suggestions of local inhabitants
  • Nature, type, number and quality of boarding and lodging facilities
  • Infrastructural facilities
  • Recreational and Entertainment facilities
  • Sporting facilities
  • Existing development plans / schemes for tourism
  • Incentives for private sector participation in tourism
  • Potential of employment generation and economic development
  • List of Travel Trade Organizations
  • Government plans for tourism related infrastructure development
  • Plans of Department of Handicrafts
  • List of existing tourist spots / locations
  • List of potential tourist spots / locations
  • Tourist accommodation facilities with different govt. departments
  • List of tour/travel agent of J&K
  • Tourism department plans
  • Plans of departments directly connected with tourism development such as Wild Life, Fisheries, Forestry, Culture, etc.
  • Funding agencies for development of tourism, both in the state as well as outside the state
  • Scope of cultural complexes, information centres, etc.
  • Scope of health resorts, etc.
  • Facilities/ Properties identified by tourism department for disinvestments, etc.

The erstwhile former J&K state has four geographical zones namely:-

• • Sub-mountain and semi-mountain plain known as kandi or dry belt
  • The Shivalik ranges
  • The high mountain zone constituting the Kashmir Valley, Pir Panchal range and its off-shoots including Doda, Poonch and Rajouri districts and part of Kathua and Udhampur districts
  • The middle run of the Indus river comprising Leh and Kargil.

Flora & Fauna

        The State is rich in flora and fauna. In Jammu, the flora ranges from the thorn bush type of the arid plain to the temperate and alpine flora of the higher altitudes. Of the broad leaf trees there are maple, horse, chestnuts, silver fir, etc. At the higher altitudes there are birch, rhododendron, Berbers and a large number of herbal plants. In the hilly regions of Doda, Udhampur, Poonch and Rajouri there is a large and varied fauna including leopard, cheetah, deer, wild sheep, bear, brown musk shrew, musk rat. Varieties of snakes, bats, lizards and frogs are also found in the region. The game birds in Jammu include chakor, snow partridge, pheasants, peacock, etc.  The Valley which has been described as the ‘Paradise’ on Earth, is full of many hues of wood and game. The most magnificent of the Kashmir trees is the Chinar found throughout the valley. It grows to giant size and girth. The trees presentsitself in various enchanting colours through the cycle of the seasons among which its autumnal look is breath-taking. Mountain ranges in the Valley have dense deodar, pine and fir. Walnut, willow, almond and cider also add to the rich flora of Kashmir. The dense forests of Kashmir are a delight to the sport-lovers and adventures for whom there are Ibex, Snow Leopard, Musk Deer, Wolf, Markhor, Red Bear, Black Bear and Leopard. The winged game include ducks, goose, partridge, chakor, pheasant, wagtails, herons, water pigeons, warblers, and doves.In otherwise arid desert of Ladakh some 240 species of local and migratory birds have been identified including black-necked crane. The Ladakh fauna includes Yak, Himalayan Ibex, Tibetan Antelope, Snow Leopard, Wild Ass, Red Bear and Gazelle. A major portion of J&K State consists of the western Himalayas, which besides many lofty mountain ranges with varying heights of 3000 to 6000 metres and above, also abound in rivers, lakes, passes, glaciers, plateaus and plains. The number of streams, brooks, hill torrents and rivers is also fairly large. The most important rivers are the Indus, Chenab, Jehlum and Ravi. Zanskar and Shyok.