Category: Business

Business

Mehbooba urges Centre to start international flights from Srinagar

Editor

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti today called on Union Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma in Delhi and sought his intervention in starting international flights from the Srinagar Airport. She urged Sharma to install guiding lights on the runway to facilitate flight operations at the Srinagar Airport during poor visibility. “According to the Airports Authority of India, the instrument landing system is already in place at the airport. The flights are not able to operate due to non-availability of guiding lights on the runway,” Mehbooba said. The PDP president said…

Read More

Despite high meat consumption, leather industry fails to grow

Editor

Despite the fact that Kashmir consumes mutton in large quantities, the leather industry has largely failed to grow due to shortage of leather processing units. The hide dealers complain lack of proper infrastructure and interest among youth for this ‘stagnant’ industry.  The demand for the hides has also considerably decreased forcing traders to sell hides at throw away prices. As per official estimates, around five million animals like sheep, goats and cattle are consumed annually in J&K leaving the state with ample raw material for the leather industry in the…

Read More

‘Chopper service will get high-end tourists to Kashmir’

Editor

The hoteliers and leading tour and travel companies in Kashmir Friday said the recently launched chopper service will attract high-end tourists to Kashmir. At a round-table conference held at a local hotel here, the travel trade fraternity welcomed the initiation of the service by the government saying it would help attract high-end tourists to the Valley. The tourism traders hailed the chief minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed for this “great initiative”. They also praised Secretary Tourism, Farooq A Shah for “his role.” Mehmood Ahmad Shah, Director Tourism Kashmir on the occasion…

Read More

Copter service to Gulmarg, Pahalgam launched

Editor

The government today launched its first-ever helicopter service to Pahalgam and Gulmarg resorts with an aim to boost high-end tourism in the Valley. “Even though only a small fraction of travellers will take chopper rides initially, it is a big step towards positioning Kashmir as a high-end destination,” said Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed after launching the service from the Srinagar airport. Mufti said tourists could now directly travel to popular tourist spots Gulmarg and Pahalgam from the airport. “After alighting from the aircraft, visitors can hop on to choppers…

Read More

Will act as bridge for Indo-Turkish business ties: KCCI

Editor

Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industries, (KCCI) Friday resolved to work as “bridge” between Turkey and India to promote business ties between the two countries. KCCI also said it would promote trade and tourism ties between Turkey and Kashmir to boost economy both sides. President, KCCI Mushtaq Ahmad Wani said a delegation of 25 traders, including tourism related players would visit to Turkey in March 2016 to promote import- export ties. “The delegation will meet all the business bodies in Turkey during the next year’s visit to promote import-export business…

Read More

Dubai’s second-most powerful man visiting Kashmir

Editor

EMAAR chairman keen to invest in JK: Drabu  Chairman of EMAAR, the leading real estate company of United Arab Emiratus (UAE) Mohamed Ali Rashed Alabbar will be visiting Srinagar next month to explore possibilities of investing in Kashmir. This was conveyed by him to Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu who met him in Dubai. The second-most powerful man in Dubai, Alabbar had detailed meeting with Dr Drabu on the sidelines of Arab-India Economic Forum held there from November 16 to 17. It is learnt that both of them exchanged views on…

Read More

Flood-hit traders demand separate rehab package

Editor

Warn of mass movement if Centre fails to ‘redesign’ relief The Valley traders today threatened to launch a mass movement if the Centre did not announce a separate package for the victims of last year’s September floods. “We will launch a mass movement if New Delhi fails to redesign the package in accordance with ground requirements…only Rs 800 crore has been earmarked for the so-called rehabilitation of traders even as floods destroyed Kashmir economy to the tune of Rs 1 lakh crore. Over 50,000 shops were destroyed in floods,” Mohammad…

Read More

Valley apples everywhere but brand Kashmir nowhere in sight

Editor

Despite being one of the largest apple producing regions in the entire South Asia, Kashmir has not been able to establish its product as a brand across the markets. Kashmir produces 16 to 18 lakh tonnes of apple every year with bulk of the produce dispatched to different markets across India. However, the apple business here is yet to be granted the industry status. The bulk of Kashmir apple is branded and gets traded through the old and worn out traditional methods despite technological advancements in the field of horticulture.…

Read More

Reconstitute Tourism Advisory Board: KCCI to govt

Editor

The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) today demanded reconstitution of the recently formed Tourism Advisory Board. “While the chamber is considering all the pros and cons of the formation of the Advisory Board, it has been unanimously decided to take up the issue with the Chief Minister in an appropriate manner for reconstituting the same in consultation with the real tourism stakeholders,” KCCI secretary general Faiz Bakshi said after a meeting of the chamber here. Bakshi claimed that the board consisted of members most of whom are non-experts…

Read More

Post floods, Valley aims for more tourist footfalls this winter

Editor

To bring back visitors to the Valley in large numbers, the Tourism Department has decided to host a series of events in the winter. The tourism sector took a severe hit during the September floods last year. This year too, the arrivals have remained low, mainly due to bad weather. To promote tourism, the government has sent a team to Austria to promote Gulmarg with the aim of attracting high-end European tourists interested in adventure sports activities such as heli-skiing. In charge Director, Tourism, Mahmood Ahmad Shah said they were…

Read More