Minister for R&B, Altaf Bukhari Sunday said the tourist arrivals have declined in Kashmir mainly due to negative media coverage.
“I must admit that media failed us as far as tourism is concerned,” he said speaking at the World Tourism Day celebrated at SKICC here.Bukhari, who was the chief guest on the occasion, said the tourist arrivals witnessed a decline in Kashmir due to negative publicity of various events.
“If something is happening on Line of Control 200 kilometers away from Srinagar that is shown as if the entire Kashmir is burning,” he said, adding that there have been isolated incidents but all of them are projected in such a way that it badly hits the tourism.
He was making a veiled reference to some TV news channels who indulge in sensationalism.
Altaf hailed tourism players for sustaining the industry. He sought innovative suggestions to attract tourists. He stressed on building capacities vis-a-vis eco-tourism.
Secretary Tourism, Farooq Shah and former Vice Chancellor Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) Sidiq Wahid also spoke on the occasion.
