Srinagar, Jan 20: Director Toursim Talat Parvez Tuesday said that the devastating flood that hit Kashmir early September last year has sent the Valley’s tourism sector into the worst kind of depression with arrivals coming down to the lowest ebb. He however said that department is making every attempt to lure the tourists and in this regard various awareness programmes and conferences are being organized in and outside the State.
Talat Parvez told news agency that flood and subsequent misinformation that went around through media and different quarters that it is safe to visit Valley are the main reasons for the decline in tourist arrivals in Kashmir. He said that the department in order to clear the doubts among the prospective tourists has been holding a series of awareness camps outside the state. “We are organizing an awareness programme in New Delhi on January 29 and already we have organized such type of programmes in Hyderabad, Chenai and other parts of India. We are hopeful that such programmes will certainly promote the tourism industry in Kashmir,†he said adding that arrival of Bollywood teams in Kashmir after floods will surely give boost to the sector.
He added that tourism department in collaboration with tourism players has to make efforts to clear doubts outside about current scenario in the Valley. “It is unfortunate that even after the expiry of four months after floods, tourist influx is low. We have restored the glory of all those tourist spots including Dal Lake that were affected by floods. We are hopeful that in coming days tourist arrivals will increase,†he said.
Responding to a question, Talat Parvez said that Hari Parbat fort will be again thrown open for tourists after two weeks. He said that the ticket system will be started there again as the system was abandoned due to harsh winter.
Pertinently, Kashmir’s tourism sector is one of major contributors in creating employment prospects in the state. However, post-floods the sector has been worst affected as most of the properties catering to tourism influx in and around Srinagar have been left decimated by the worst-ever urban floods that hit Kashmir last year in September.
