Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Thursday 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.
Addressing the 17th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Travel Agents Association of Kashmir (TAAK) at the Gulmarg Convention Centre, CM Omar, according to the news agency said, “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.”
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.
Talking to the media on the sidelines of the function, CM Omar, as per said, “Whatever happened at Pahalgam shouldn’t have happened, but measures were taken later, and the destinations should have been reopened. Tourism has suffered, and the government must compensate the affected stakeholders.”
The Chief Minister expressed hope that autumn and winter seasons would bring some revival, while preparations should begin in earnest for the spring season.
Congratulating newly elected TAAK President Farooq A. Kuthoo, CM Omar 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.
