Push for tourism
As the tourist footfall has been showing a continuous decline in Jammu and Kashmir since the past 19 months now, a parliamentary panel has recommended that the Jammu and Kashmir administration, the Ministry of Tourism and other stakeholders must try to promote a positive image about Kashmir.
The 280th report of the Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture — “Action Taken by the Government on the Recommendations/ Observations of the Committee Contained in its Two Hundred and Seventieth Report on ‘Development of Tourism in Jammu and Kashmir’ said that industry bodies should also be encouraged to hold meetings and visit the region.
The committee recommends that the state government, Ministry of Tourism and the various other stakeholders must endeavour to remove the negative publicity in the press by finding innovative means to engage with the world at large via the social media.
Tourism in Kashmir is at its lowest ebb since the past three decades. The last two years have witnessed a steep decline in tourist arrivals putting a question mark on the very existence of the entire Industry.
Though year 2021 did come with some hope for the tourism sector as the two main tourist destinations Pahalgam and Gulmarg witnessed good footfalls. The scenario was celebratory in some Srinagar hotels as well as they also witnessed some booking for the New Year celebrations.
It is after August 2019 that Kashmir was again abuzz with tourists as thousands of people from different parts of the country arrived here. The situation in Gulmarg was so filling that the tourist spot witnessed huge traffic jams. The situation was such that some tourists had to ring in the New Year from their vehicles stuck in traffic.
Tourist arrivals at this point of time means a lot for tourism sector in Kashmir as it has been at its lowest ebb in past many decades now. Though global destinations are ruled out due to the pandemic and Kashmir can prove to be an obvious choice for domestic travelers, still the footfall has to witnesses a tremendous increase to get the industry back on trail.
However, the arrivals at this point of time means that Kashmir still remains the choicest of destinations among domestic tourists.
The tourism industry in Kashmir has suffered in the past few years for various reasons, particularly after the government imposed restrictions following the abrogation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status in August 2019 and the COVID-19 pandemic.
The trade has already recorded loss of jobs to nearly five lakh people who are directly dependent on tourism. Kashmir witnessed arrival of around 43,000 tourists during the period between August and December during 2018. The figure was just 19,000 till September 2020, with most of the arrivals recorded before March.
After July 2020 as the government opened the region for tourism activity several tourists visited Gulmarg, Sonamarg and Pahalgam, the three main destinations in the Valley that are a favourite among tourists.
But the figures are far more less that the potential and the capacity the region holds. Therefore, an aggressive campaign besides a push from all quarters is needed to get things rolling towards positivity.
KV Network
