Srinagar, May 10: Chief Minister Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah on Sunday inaugurated the India Golf Carnival 2026 at the Royal Springs Golf Course (RSGC) in Srinagar, with more than 100 golfers participating in the event, including over 30 players from Jammu & Kashmir.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said Kashmir has long shared a deep association with golf and possesses some of the finest golf courses in the country, including Srinagar, Gulmarg and Pahalgam.
“We are trying to encourage local golfers and use these courses for tourism promotion as well,” he said, adding that the tournament was aimed at improving the sport and inspiring a new generation of young golfers in Jammu & Kashmir.
Highlighting the growing interest in golf tourism in Kashmir, Omar Abdullah said many golfers from outside the Valley have started visiting Srinagar for long weekends, particularly during holidays in North India, solely to play golf.
“There is hope that it will definitely benefit tourism,” he said.
The Chief Minister also that a group of young golfers is also expected to visit Pahalgam in the coming weeks, while the Gulmarg golf course is expected to become fully operational by July after fresh equipment and facilities are put in place.
On efforts to place Kashmir on the global golfing map, Omar Abdullah said the government, in collaboration with tourism stakeholders and organisers, is planning similar events for Gulmarg and Pahalgam as well.
“The idea is that whenever people think about golf tourism, the first thought that should come to their minds is and its three major golf courses,” he said.
He added that the government would continue to invest in promotion, maintenance and infrastructure to strengthen golf tourism in the region.
Responding to a question on the impact of such events on the hospitality sector and employment generation, the Chief Minister said the administration intends to host more such tournaments in the future.
“Our aim is to see both local golfers and golfers from outside Kashmir play here together. We want to see more and more golfers coming to Kashmir,” he added.
Director Tourism Kashmir Syed Qamar Sajad said the India Golf Carnival 2026 was being organised as an “ice-breaking event” for the promotion of golf tourism in Jammu & Kashmir in collaboration with partner organisations, including CII and other agencies.
“We have around 80 participants from outside from the UT and the rest are from J&K. In total, around 110 golfers are participating in the event. We expect that it will significantly boost golf tourism in the Valley,” he said.
