www.MountainValleyKashmir.com Archives

At 32.5 Srinagar records highest temperature of the season, Jammu at 41.0 continues to struggle with heat wave

July 4, 2019July 4, 2019 Editor

Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, Wednesday recorded the season’s highest temperature at 32.5 degrees Celsius while the heatwave prevailed in Jammu, the metrological department said. The day temperature in Jammu settled at 41.0 degrees Celsius, around 4 degrees above normal. At 30.1 degrees Celsius, the night temperature in Jammu was up by around 4 degrees above season’s average. Jammu had recorded the season’s highest day temperature on June 10 when the mercury touched 44.4 degrees Celsius, while June 12 night was the hottest of the season at…

Vande Bharat Express, new train to cut short Delhi-Katra travel time by 4 hours

June 29, 2019June 29, 2019 Editor

Offering bonanza to Vaishno Devi pilgrims, the Indian Railways has decided to run a high-tech semi-high-speed Vande Bharat Express between Delhi and Katra with an aim to reduce the travel time by about four hours. Senior officials at Rail Bhawan said the decision to run the second Vande Bharat Express was taken recently by the Railway Board and the trial runs were expected soon. “Since there are plans that the express train will run at 130 kmph between New Delhi and Ludhiana, we have planned to launch the trial runs…

In a first, Amarnath pilgrims to be tagged for a safe trek

June 15, 2019June 15, 2019 Editor

In a first, each of the 300,000-odd pilgrims expected to visit the Amarnath Shrine this year will be tracked from the base camp to the shrine and back, using a unique card, even as nearly 45,000 security personnel will be deployed to protect them, a senior home ministry official said on the condition of anonymity. The annual pilgrimage to the cave shrine begins on July 1. “Each pilgrim will be personally tracked through a unique card. The cards will be given to them when they set out from the base…

J&K tourism may advertise in upcoming IPL

March 14, 2019March 14, 2019 Editor

In a move to attract visitors back to Kashmir, J&K tourism department is mulling to advertise state’s tourism destinations during the telecast of upcoming IPL 2019 from various sports channels. According to an official spokesperson, Advisor to Governor Khurshid Ahmed Ganai on Wednesday directed the tourism department to submit a proposal for showing small duration advertisements on the state tourism destinations and potentials on the sports channels during IPL 2019 matches. He was chairing a meeting of the department to review the functioning of tourism department and its preparedness for…

Zero crimes against tourists in Jammu & Kashmir: GoI report

March 7, 2019March 7, 2019 Editor

Exposing the negative propaganda against Jammu & Kashmir, a report by the Government of India has confirmed that there has not been a single crime reported against tourists in the state in past two years. This is despite the presence of separatist militancy in Kashmir that has only increased in the past two years.According to a report by ministry of home affairs (MHA), there has not been a single incident of crime against foreign tourists, including females, in Jammu and Kashmir while 284 such incidents have been reported during the…

Why J&K Tourism lags far behind Kerala and Gujarat?

August 31, 2018 Editor

In 2017, a record 10 million foreign tourists visited India. As many as 103 million domestic tourists visited the picnic spots and health resorts within India, the same year. The hospitality sector contributes 6.88 percent to India’s GDP and is estimated to earn 27 billion dollars, the next year. It was the Incredible India campaign launched by Government of India in 2002 that helped India pitch itself as a high-end destination. In fiscal 2017-198, Ministry of Tourism spent Rs 300 crore to promote the campaign on various media. Central Tourism…

Revising Tourism Marketing Targets

April 5, 2018 Editor

M.Ashraf The 64th Convention of the Travel agents Association of India has just concluded in Srinagar. The Convention was attended by over 600 delegates from all over the country. The Convention was held in Srinagar after 31 years. A large number of delegates came from South India including Kerala, known as “God’s Own Country”. The delegates including some top doyens of Travel, Hospitality, Airline and Travel media such as Aditya Gosh, CEO, Indigo Airlines; Nukul Anand, CEO, ITC Hotels; Kapil Kak, CEO, CAPA; Yossi Fatael, Vice-President UFTAA; Rodeney D’Cruz, Assistant…

Tourist sector gets a jolt due to sudden spike in violence

April 3, 2018 Editor

A sudden spike in the level of violence in Kashmir on Sunday has cast a shadow on the tourism industry, which was hoping for increased footfall of holidaymakers. As the region witnessed a sudden bout of protests and a record high death toll on Sunday, it has caused scare among tourists who came face to face with the turbulent situation. Several tourists, who had planned to holiday for several days, cancelled their stay in the region and rushed home. The deterioration of the law and order situation after Sunday’s multiple…

TAAI dwells on high Airfares, Tourist Security

March 29, 2018March 29, 2018 Editor

Delegates address impediments to tourism sector Even as the ongoing Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) convention has brought fresh ideas and insights to the local stakeholders, the delegates also took up contentious issues facing the Valley’s tourism sector. Besides its routine business, the convention, which is being held here after a gap of three decades, also talked of measures to address the stumbling blocks to the growth of local tourism, especially security concerns of tourists and soaring airfares in the peak season. Universal Federation of Travel Agents Association (UFTAA)…