SRINAGAR: Following the Webinars with Gujarat, Maharashtra and West Bengal Tour and Travel Fraternity, Director Tourism, Kashmir, Dr G N Itoo Wednesday interacted with the Telangana/Andhra Pradesh tour and Travel Fraternity through a Webinar organized by the J&K Tourism’s Hyderabad Office. Heads of major Travel Associations, Tour Operators & Travel Agents participated in the Webinar.
The Webinar panel comprised of Director Tourism, Kashmir, Dr G N Itoo, Deputy Director, Tourism Publicity Ideel Saleem, ATO Hyderabad Sajid and Ranga Reddy, President (AP & TS Chapter) Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), Padhi Srinavas Senior Member and Treasurer Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI), Vijay Mohan Chairman ADTOI (AP Chapter) Association of Domestic Tour Operators.
Siraj Ansari President Tour Operators Association of Telengana (TOAT) K. Rajendra Kumar CEO NTR memorial trust and Permanent Service Member of Hyderabad Golfing Association ( HGA), besides representations from many prominent Tour operators.
Dr Itoo during the interaction spoke about the positive response shown by the people of the country in choosing J&K as their preferred destination for holidays after the relaxation in the COVID guidelines. He appreciated the Government of J&K in handling the COVID concerns and putting in place facilities for the health safety of the tourists, which gave confidence to the people to travel to J&K especially to Kashmir and enjoy in winters here.
Dr Itoo presented the calendar of promotional activities slated for the upcoming Spring and Summer season both within and outside J&K including holding of Sonmarg Festival, Almond Bloom festival in Spring at Badamwari Srinagar, Tulip Festival in April and Houseboat Festival in the summer. “Department has started and will be organizing festivals and tourism promotional activities across all destinations of J&K,” he said and added that more tourist destinations including Sonmarg, Doodhpathri, Yusmarg and Kokernag are being opened early for the tourists following improvements in weather conditions.
K. Rajendra Kumar, CEO NTR Memorial Trust and Permanent Service Member of Hyderabad Golfing Association (HGA) highlighted the immense potential of Golf Tourism in the Country especially in Jammu and Kashmir which hosts some of the best scenic Golf Courses including Pahalgam Golf Course, RSGC Srinagar, Gulmarg Golf Course, Kashmir Golf Course Srinagar and Jammu Tawi Golf Course and urged the Tourism Department to organise more Golfing events as a means of popularising Golf Tourism in J&K.
Dr Itoo also apprised the Tour Operators of Southern States about the measures put in place including those related to COVID to ensure that tourists visiting J&K have a comfortable and a memorable stay. In response to some queries raised during the Webinar, Dr Itoo assured the Tour Operators that these are and will be looked into for prompt resolution.
The Telangana/Andhra Pradesh Tour & Travel Fraternity members reiterated that J&K will continue to remain as the most preferred destination for them
A large group of around 60 tourists from the Southern State of Tamil Nadu is presently in Kashmir and enjoying their holidays. The Tourism Department also organized a cultural evening for the Tamil guests.
