The CM, who is on a visit to the town, inaugurated the Bhaderwah Tourism Festival, a carnival of cultural and folk events which attracts people from all over Chenab Valley.
He also chaired the 7th Board of Directors' meeting of Bhaderwah Development Authority (BDA) during which he took wide-ranging decisions aimed at putting the tourist resort in the forefront of travel industry.
Exhorting officers to bring hidden destinations like Bhaderwah on the tourism canvas of the state, the CM sought participation of private players in creation of high-end tourism infrastructure since it was "capital-intensive"
He said public-private partnership in tourism sector will not only spur investment but also sustain local economy by creating job opportunities.
"The footprint of tourists won't increase unless advance planning is done to launch destinations like Bhaderwah and Jai valley. The optimal use of our existing assets will help make tourism a revenue-generating industry," he said.