Will strive to make Kashmir world’s top tourist destination

SRINAGAR, MAY 16 (KMW): From the sprawling lawns of SKICC, amidst setting of the sun over the magnificent Dal Lake, the Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today unveiled the stunning beauty of Kashmir before the world and country’s top tourism players by inaugurating J&K first Travel Mart since 1988, at SKICC today.

He called upon the tourism delegates to become goodwill ambassadors and give a glimpse of J&K’s stunning beauty and unexplored potential.
Minister of Tourism, Punjab Government, Sohan Singh, Minister for Education, Naeem Akhtar, Minister of State for I&C and H&UDD, Mohammad Ashraf Mir, Minister of State for Health & Social Welfare, Asiya Naqash, MLA Anjum Fazil, MLC, Khursheed Alam, were also present on the occasion.
The Chief Minister said he was delighted by the participation of a galaxy of national and overseas delegates. He said the travel and trade fraternity is motivated to promote J&K as world’s top tourist destination.
Referring to the floods of 2014 which devastated the State’s infrastructure, the Chief Minister said he saw tourism as the only sector which can provides instant relief to the people. “I travelled to Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Delhi to campaign for revival of tourism in J&K. I have tried to change the negative perception about Kashmir by going to these places. I am happy that I am hosting you now,” he said while describing J&K as a safe tourist destination.
The Chief Minister said after travelling far and wide in many countries, he has found J&K as the best tourist destination in the world with no comparison. “I interacted with some German tourists in Aru, Pahalgam. They said they have been riveted by the beauty of this wonderful place. I believe there should be no off season in Kashmir,” he said, while urging to make Kashmir an all-season tourist destination.
Emphasising upon adventure tourism, the Chief Minister highlighted the need for packaging Golf and Corporate tourism for high-spending tourists. He, however, asked the tourism department to increase its intake capacity to reach out to a larger number of visitors from across the world.
Mufti Sayeed resolved to host a conference at Gulmarg on the pattern of Davos which hosts the World Economic Forum summit every year, in which he will also invite the country’s Prime Minister. He sought support of all the delegates in changing the perception of people across the country about visiting Kashmir.
He assured the delegates that his Government will take steps to facilitate the tourists and offer them add-on facilities so that they extend their stay. He said he will dovetail the handicrafts industry in tourism so that genuine hand-made and price-tagged products are sold to the visitors. “We will evolve packages that will be properly advertised,” he said, while praising the interest shown by private players to play their role in tourism industry of the State .
He said facilities at all known resorts like Gulmarg, Sonamarg and Pahalgam will be improved once the Master Plans are finalized.
Earlier, he went around the stalls set up by Valley’s top leading tourism players, which provide a window of opportunities that lie in Kashmir.
He also saw and praised “The Kashmir Himalaya Mega Pano”, a mosaic of 45 frames taken on raw format by Mehmood Ahmad Shah, a KAS officer presently posted as RTO Kashmir.
Minister for Tourism, Punjab, in his address, said the Punjab Government is taking a leaf out of J&K and promoting heritage and pilgrim tourism in a big way. He praised the beauty of Kashmir and the hospitality of its people
Speaking on the occasion, Minister of Education, described the Chief Minister as fountain head of ideas. He said time has come to change the perception of Kashmir in the country and abroad. “This conference is being held in a particular perspective of slightly dampened urge of the people to visit Kashmir because of the natural calamity of floods. People still ask me about flood level,” he stated, adding we have to win this battle of perception at any costs.
Commissioner / Secretary, Tourism, in his remarks, gave a brief insight into the potential of J&K in tourism sector.
During the three-day Travel Mart, 20 international countries including United States, Malaysia, Ukraine, Thailand, Singapore, Turkey and South Africa and 180 delegates representing all the States will hold business sessions to provide fillip to J&K’s tourism industry so that it is able to recapture its numero uno position.
Commissioner / Secretary, Tourism & Culture, Shailendra Kumar, Director Tourism & MD JKTDC, Farooq A. Shah, Director Tourism, Jammu, R. K. Verma, were present on the occasion.