Holds seminar ‘Kashmir Back To Paradise’
As part of its tourism promotion campaign, Travel Agents Society of Kashmir (TASK) Saturday organized a seminar titled “Kashmir Tourism, Back to Paradise” at Indore at Hotel Sayaji.Mayor of Indore Malini Goud was the chief guest on the occasion.
Director Tourism – Kashmir, Mahmood A Shah in his keynote address to the gathering of elite tour operators of Indore showcased the Jammu Kashmir & Ladakh.
Director Tourism Kashmir urged the stakeholders associated with the sector to come forward in promoting tourism avenues in J&K. He also highlighted the pivotal role played by the Department of Tourism to increase tourist footfall in the state and said that the government has left no stone unturned to ensure comfortable stay of tourist by providing excellent infrastructure ,communication network, upgraded roads & developing new attractions such as Heritage Circuit, Golf Circuit & Adventure activities.
Manish Sharma Chairman of TAAI, MP and Chhattisgarh Chapter besides MP tourism officials were also present at the event including
President TASK Mohammad Ibrahim Siah welcomed the august gathering in his welcome address & assured quality services on behalf of his members
Gen Sectary TASK Ather Yameen Narwari in his address said J&K especially Kashmir is known world over for its tourism potential offering natural attractions like vast stretches of green meadows, forests, serene lakes and rich flora and fauna and excellent heritage.
“It is a state which has diverse tourist attractions in all its three regions. While Jammu region apart from other attractions receives over 85 lakh pilgrims every year who visit Mata Vishnu Devi temple, Ladakh known as moon land offers its unique attractions like no other place of the world does,” he said.
The tourism fraternity said people of the state heavily dependent on earnings from tourism and has suffered most as tourist influx to state dropped to almost zero in 1990 and did not revive till 1997.
They said it was due to the strong resolve of the tourism trade and local travel agents of Kashmir specially members of TASK that tourism is again showing upward trend though at a sluggish pace.
The local travel trade said peace, the basic ingredient for economic development more particularly for tourism, has by and large returned to state making it again possible for prospective tourists to decide to visit Kashmir and enjoy their holidays over there.
Vice President TASK Mir Anwar during vote of thanks appreciated the role of local tour operators of Indore and the efforts of department of Tourism government of J& K for promoting tourism.
In his address, he also thanked, President – KHAROF Javed Bashir Burza, Chairman PILTOF Nasir Shah for being present at the occasion. He also thanked sponsors including Department of Tourism J&K Government, M/s Khyber Himalayan Resort & Spa– Gulmarg, Ahad Hotels & Resorts, the owners of Heevan Group &Hotel Pine N Peak – Pahalgam, Mushtaq Group of Hotels, owners of Grand Mumtaz Group of Hotels, Mountview Group of Hotels, Milli Tours, Earth Explorers Travel & Tours, Alla Group and Great Himalayan Tours for extending support to them in facilitating to organize this event.
He also put a word of appreciation to Bashir A Karnai and other EC Members.
