Shafat Malik

Srinagar 25 May (KNS): Kasmir tour Operators president on Tuesday accused Govt of ignoring them in the recent bailout packed announced for tourism industry despite being an important part of the tourism industry.

Addressing a press conference at Press Club Srinagar, he said that Govt has not been able to understand their role till now and urged the LG administration to consider them as an active part of tourism.

"Whenever there comes the statement from LG administration or Tourism department, they only mention hoteliers, houseboats and others except us. Although we are an important part of the tourism sector and administration must understand that we are destination promoters", he added.

He also said that they as destination promoters goes door to door to promote tourism and invite tourists to visit J&K and everyone gets benefit including houseboats, shikaras.

He further said that whenever any natural calamity or political problem happens, tourism is the first casualty. "we had been trying to revive tourism post-2009 but because of one problem or the other like 2014 floods, abrogation of article 370 or pandemic, we all almost lost our business and are not expecting it will revive again."

Demanding a bailout package so that they will be able to revive it, the KTO president said that the Intrest subvention of their loans should be waived off as they are totally in crises and some of them are not even able to afford two-time meal properly.

He also said that as the tourism industry in the valley has been suffering from a long time, the bailout package is the only way for them to revive the business.

"As good citizens, we understand we have to pay taxes and In good times, we paid it but at the same time we have been suffering not only because of Covid but of different natural, political problems and we as a special case demand waives off of GST at least for next two years",he added. (KNS)