To promote tourism and woo travelers back to Valley after 2014 September floods hit tourist influx to Kashmir badly, President Associated Chamber of Commerce & Industries-Kashmir and founder member Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Alliance Zahoor Tramboo suggests hiring leading PR companies.
In a recently held Annual General Meeting, Tramboo presented a key note address wherein he urged government to develop Kashmir as must-see-many-times destination.
Excerpts
Many of us started with small businesses of tourism, operating in highly competitive domestic markets. We have faced difficult times along the way: going through periods of crisis, then dealing with the biased media and haphazard approaches. We have all shown great resilience through these challenging periods.But, as the saying goes, adversity breeds creativity and resourcefulness. And that is what we need right now. As we emerge from the challenges of the past years, members of tourism industry will need, more than ever before, to work together, as strong partners, to reposition Kashmir as a must-do destination. We need to cement Kashmir’s position as a leading tourist destination – indeed, as a “must-see many times” destination.
We continue to make rapid progress in claiming our rightful share of the tourism market. And right now is the time when we most need to stand together with an alliance. All of us know that 2014 and 2015 has been really tough years for our businesses, with tourist arrivals seeing declines year on year from almost all markets. The 2014 floods have battered the tourism industry of Kashmir. Government has to devise a strategy to set a path to recovery. There is also confusion prevailed over the much-awaited “financial package”, which was promised by government of India. A comprehensive package, which would meet the infrastructural, economic and other developmental activities should be announced without any wastage of time.
I have recently seen some of the figures from some of the major tourism players showing how their bottom lines have been hit hard this year. This is probably even more the case for smaller players, who do not always have the depth of financial resources to survive the difficult times.
I would also like to take this opportunity to say that the Chief Minister who is also heading the Tourism Department of J&K, along with team of his able officers, are taking great initiatives to boost tourism industry of Kashmir. I must say, he is a tireless and determined fighter for the industry, but now is the high time for the government to show some trust on local entrepreneurs who have proved beyond doubt that they can survive even in most hard and difficult conditions. While, outsourcing any business establishment of government, the local entrepreneurs should be given priority and ease in qualification with an aim of ease of doing business.
In the name of giving world class facilities to tourists, we must not discourage local talent.
It is prior to mention here that in ease of doing business, we are standing last as per recent World Bank report.
I would like to mention here that some years before the tourism and hospitality sector was declared as industry, the benefits of tourism as industry in taxes, electricity and other things are yet to be implemented and much awaited.
