Gulmarg: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today assured tourism stakeholders and players that he will take up their concerns with the Union Home Minister Amit Shah and request for opening up of several closed tourist destinations in Kashmir.
The Chief Minister said this while addressing the 17th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Travel Agents Association of Kashmir (TAAK) at the Gulmarg Convention Centre.
“On one hand we promote tourism, but on the other, many destinations remain closed. This is one of the biggest challenges in our difficult circumstances. When half of Kashmir is shut for tourism, promotion becomes meaningless. What do we tell the tourists— that you can ride the Gondola but the ATV grounds are closed? That you can go to Tangmarg but not to Drung, or that you can come to Pahalgam but not visit Aru and Betab Valley? Even in the worst times we had not kept these areas closed. So, I assure you I will speak to the Home Minister and request him to open these destinations. This will build confidence and help us attract more tourists,” Omar said.
Without naming LG Manoj Sinha, Abdullah said those responsible for the security in J&K should gradually reopen such destinations. “It would be better that those people who are responsible for the security, who accept that J&K’s security is their responsibility, should reopen these destinations one by one,” he said.
The Chief Minister said that when tourists are told certain destinations are closed, it creates a negative perception about the overall situation in Kashmir. “We must come on one page with the central government, otherwise our efforts at promotion will not succeed,” he added.
Congratulating newly elected TAAK President Farooq A. Kuthoo, Omar Abdullah assured the association of full support of the government. “Mr. Kuthoo has a strong foundation to take the association forward. In these circumstances, promoting tourism is not easy, but I want to assure you that just as we worked closely with outgoing President Rauf Tramboo, we will work with TAAK under your leadership as well,” he said.
The Chief Minister expressed hope that autumn and winter seasons would bring some revival, while preparations should begin in earnest for the spring season.
Highlighting the significance of today’s gathering, Omar Abdullah said, “We will always remember that the first programme held at the Gulmarg Convention Centre was the 17th AGM of the Travel Agents Association of Kashmir. In future, many prestigious programmes of FICCI, CII, Government of India and Government of J&K will be held here, but the first will always remain with TAAK.”
The AGM was also addressed by Advisor to the CM Nasir Aslam Wani, MLA Gulmarg Pirzada Farooq Ahmad Shah, prominent hotelier Mushtaq Chaya, outgoing TAAK President Rauf Tramboo and newly elected President Farooq A. Kuthoo. Members of TAAK from across Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh participated in the meeting.
Meanwhile, CM expressed his displeasure with tourism stakeholders of Jammu and Kashmir, accusing them of failing to support his government’s promotional efforts and remaining silent in the face of political attacks.
Addressing a closed-door gathering of travel agents at the Gulmarg Convocation Centre, Abdullah expressed frustration that none of the stakeholders came to his defence when the opposition mounted criticism over tourism-related issues, according to people privy to the meeting.
He conveyed his displeasure to the tourism stakeholders after inaugurating the state-of-the-art convention centre at north Kashmir’s ski resort Gulmarg which is expected to boost tourism, promote ‘meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE)’ activities and create new opportunities for local youth and businesses.
They said Abdullah, who also holds a tourism portfolio, maintained that he had taken several initiatives to promote tourism, including events like a cycling festival in Pahalgam, but felt he lacked backing from tourism stakeholders during political scrutiny.
The chief minister had undertaken a special promotional programme for Pahalgam tourism after the April 22 unfortunate incident in which terrorists killed 26 people, mainly tourists.
Abdullah also made it clear that lease agreements of all the hotels across tourism destinations in Jammu, Katra, Pahalgam, Sonamarg, Srinagar and Gulmarg will be scrutinised soon.
According to sources, the chief minister also appeared upset over what he called the “selective leakage” of official orders, noting that while he signs numerous directives daily, only certain ones are exposed to the media and the opposition.
Abdullah also questioned the silence of the stakeholders when he was being targeted for a scheduled visit to Paris, described by the travel agents and other stakeholders as an important place for promotion of tourism.
He said the region’s economy has traditionally depended heavily on tourism and its allied trades, and the industry cannot regain its lost vibrancy unless both the public and private stakeholders work hand-in-hand.
The chief minister questioned the silence of the stakeholders when they knew that he or his advisor Nasir Aslam Wani was not going to Paris and that Jammu and Kashmir was too represented by officials and travel associations. (With PTI Inputs)
Earlier, Chief Minister Omar inaugurated the Gulmarg Convention Centre, expressing hope that the world-class facility would help position Gulmarg as a premier destination for international events and conventions, “on the scale of an Asian or Indian Davos.”
Constructed at a cost of Rs 21 crore by the NBCC, the Centre aims to promote tourism, culture, business convergence and international conferencing in Jammu and Kashmir. Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani, MLA Gulmarg Pirzada Farooq A Shah, Additional Chief Secretary Tourism Dr. Ashish Chandra Verma, Deputy Commissioner Baramulla Minga Sherpa, Director Tourism Kashmir Raja Farooq Yaqoob, CEO GDA Tariq Hussain and other senior officers were present on the occasion.
The Chief Minister also laid the foundation stone of the Ski Hire Shop, to be developed by the J&K Cable Car Corporation, further strengthening Gulmarg’s tourism infrastructure.
Addressing the gathering, Omar Abdullah said while constructing physical infrastructure was important, its meaningful use and upkeep was even more critical.
The Chief Minister underlined the importance of positioning the Centre as a hub for MICE tourism, wedding destinations and high-profile events.
“We are considering linking it with SKICC’s marketing network so that Gulmarg Convention Centre can be promoted as part of a broader package,” he said. “Maintenance will also be done. And I want that one day, when we hear about Davos again and again, then people recognize it as Asian Davos, Indian Davos. I want it to develop on that scale, if not, at least on a good scale, two or three annual events will come here, in which people from all over the world will participate.”
Omar Abdullah also emphasised the need to create recreational opportunities for tourists during evenings in Gulmarg, especially in winters.
“Tourists go skiing, sledging and sightseeing, but in the evening they are left with little to do. This facility can change that. By setting up a coffee shop, restaurant and a digital cinema projection system, we can ensure that tourists have vibrant evening experiences, while generating revenue and keeping the asset active,” he said.
Congratulating the NBCC and the Gulmarg Development Authority, Omar Abdullah said the project was a landmark addition to Gulmarg’s tourism profile.
