Srinagar, Jul 19 (KNS): While pinning its hopes on newly appointed Principal Secretary Tourism Navin Chaudhary, Valley’s travel trade bodies Friday urged State government to start second phase of tourism promotional campaigns from the month of August within and outside the country to boost tourist arrivals for upcoming autumn and winter seasons.
In an emergent meeting, the tourism trade bodies expressed concern over the slow pace of leisure tourist arrivals to Kashmir.
The meeting was attended by Hafeez Shalla of TASK, President KHAROF Wahid Malik, Chairman JKTA Manzoor Pakhtoon, Chairman PILTOF Nasir Shah and another representative Showkat Pakhtoon, Chairman TTIG Akram Siah and another representative Shafi Wangnoo and IATO – JK Chapter Chairman Abdul Khaliq Wangnoo besides veterans of the trade GR Siah and KM Dar.
The members in the meeting observed that the low tourist footfall has caused economic crunch affecting livelihood of the thousands of the youth.
The members said Kashmir has been quite peaceful and trouble free wherein Amarnath Yatra is being conducted smoothly.
They said over 2 Lac yatris have visited so far and enjoyed full hospitality of the local Kashmiris “but false media deliberations about Kashmir carried out day in and day out by few national media channels seem to be not in favour of Kashmir tourism”.
The stakeholders while appreciating the Directorate of Tourism having carried out number of road shows during winter hoped new Principal Secretary Tourism Navin Chaudhary having vast administrative experience will certainly carry forward this mission of promotions, besides invite business houses and golfers to Kashmir.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
The trade leaders urged Principal Secretary Tourism to kick start the 2nd phase of promotional campaign from August onwards so that a good tourist traffic from Gujarat, Maharashtra and West Bengal start planning visiting Kashmir in autumn and winter seasons.
The members said Kashmiris are most hospitable, loving and caring.
Citing the examples and sacrifices of Ghulam Nabi Kuloo, a Shikara Walla who saved tourists from River Jhelum while unfortunately losing his own life, a sincere job of Gulmarg Guide, another Taxi Driver who returned the lost bag of a tourist at Gulmarg and in Srinagar and the recent mishap, where Rouf Dar, a rafting guide lost his life in Lidder River while saving all tourists, the heads of the travel trade said such sacrifices testify Kashmir is best tourist destination of the country.
They further hoped that tourist visiting Kashmir would act as State’s brand ambassadors and also endeavor that they visit the Valley again and again.
“Tourism, being the back none of our States economy requires complete attention by the Governor, Advisor to Governor, Tourism Deptt, Principal Secretary Tourism and the Director Tourism and all of us have to be in the mission mode to create positive information of the State Tourism in the States of Gujarat, Maharashtra & West Bengal in particular and rest of the country in general.” (KNS)