The new leader of Indian-administered Kashmir is launching a drive to attract tourists and Bollywood filmmakers back to the region.

Chief minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed said his officials will meet with tourism and film industry leaders this month, and a host of activities designed to attract tourists are planned until September 2003.

The picturesque landscapes of Kashmir were popular with visitors until 1989, when armed resistance by pro-Pakistani opponents of Indian rule erupted in the region.

There was a further blow to the tourism industry in 1995 when six foreign tourists were abducted.

One of the tourists escaped, one was killed, and the remaining four are still missing.

Major Western countries advise their nationals not to travel in Kashmir.

New attractions

The first objective of the new campaign is to bring back tourists who used to visit Kashmir during the winter season for skiing and other winter sports.

Areas like the mountain resort of Gulmarg attracted hundreds of visitors before the recent troubles.

The area is now being developed to lure the tourists back.

Farooq Ahmad Shah, managing director of the Jammu and Kashmir State Cable Car Corporation, which runs the Gulmarg ski resort, said he expects a lot more visitors once the building work is complete.

"After completion we will be having international class slopes and... our skiing is cheapest in the world," he told the BBC's World Business Report.

Mr Shah said Gulmarg was hoping to run a skiing championship as an attraction.

Tourists will also be offered a helicopter service from the airport to Gulmarg and another popular resort, Pahalgam.

Other tourism initiatives include 'Kashmir Food Festivals' in New Delhi, Bombay and Calcutta.

And travel writers and visitors who used to travel to Kashmir regularly will be offered tours of the state.