Srinagar, Oct 30 (KNS): Minister of State for Tourism Priya Sethi Monday urged travel trade industry to promote composite culture of the state besides its beautiful landscape.
She was addressing the members of the Travel Agents Society of Kashmir (TASK) in an interactive session held here in Srinagar.
Priya Sethi said Srinagar besides being a very beautiful city also has many historical places where tourists should be taken to.
She urged travel agents to oganise Srinagar Darshan for visitors and take them to the places likes Shenkracharaya Temple, Hazratbal shrine, Dachigam National Park , SPS Museum which have historical and cultural importance also.
The travel agents submitted memorandum of suggestions to her regarding the promotion of the tourism.
In their suggestions, TASK demanded that travel companies should be given status of industrial units so that industrial benefits are given to the tour operators.
They also demanded allocation of the space in the travel trade shows organized by the department of tourism outside the state as per the strength of the members of the association.
The travel agents also sought intervention of the Minister of the State for tourism towards the unnecessary hassle meted out to the foreign travelers at Srinagar airport for their registration besides rising air fare to Srinagar during peak season.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
In view of the devastating 2014 floods and subsequent low tourist footfall to Kashmir due to continued disturbances, TASK demanded soft loans to the travel agents on subsidized interest rate so that they could launch vigorous tourism promotion.
The travel agents also drew her attention towards the lack of toilet facilities at prime tourist places besides light and sound show at Shalimar.
They also sought issuances of on-spot passes to the tourist visiting Dachigam at the gate only besides and making uniform mandatory for the tourist taxi driver and the tour guides.
The minister listed to their demands patiently assured that she would take up the matter of rising air fare and registration of the foreign tourist arrival at Srinagar airport with the Airport Authority of India.
She said travel industry is one of the main employment generators of the state for which both state and central government is making lot of efforts.
The meeting was also attended by Deputy Director Riyaz Beigh and Deputy Director Wasim Raja. The TASK team was represented by its President Mir Anwar and Athar Yamin Narwari. (KNS)