Suhail Khan
SRINAGAR, JULY 10 : Director Tourism Kashmir Qamar Sajjad said Foreign tourist arrivals in Jammu and Kashmir are showing signs of recovery after a dip triggered by the conflict in West Asia, even as domestic visitors continue to account for over 95 per cent of the footfall.
Speaking on the sidelines of a sustainable tourism conclave at the SKICC here, Qamar Sajjad said the overall sector remained on an upward curve despite the temporary blip in international arrivals.
“There was some impact because of the war in the Middle East, which resulted in lower numbers of foreign tourists, but now the number is increasing,” he told reporters.
Sajjad, however, did not share updated figures on foreign arrivals, but asserted the trend was improving.
“Jammu and Kashmir is primarily a destination that attracts domestic tourists. About 95 per cent of our visitors are from within the country,” he said, adding that foreign tourists generally prefer the winter season.
On the conclave’s deliberations, Director tourism said the focus was on framing a long-term strategy that balances tourism growth with environmental protection.
“A proper strategy and framework will be developed for tourism growth as well as for protecting the environment, which is the basic source of attraction for tourism,” he said.
“We have to play our part as responsible citizens by protecting the environment and contributing to efforts to mitigate its adverse effects,” he added.
The government, he said, would formulate a comprehensive framework in consultation with stakeholders and destination management officials across both divisions of the Union Territory.
“Today, we have invited all development authorities of the Kashmir Division, along with town planning experts and stakeholders. Our aim is to update the master plans and decide how we want to move forward,” Director of Tourism Kashmir, Syed Qamar Sajad, told The Web Story/The Varmul Post.
He said the deliberations were necessitated by mounting pressure on popular destinations, urban congestion, and inconveniences faced by tourists and locals.
“We have to now switch over from volume to value. These ideas and guidelines will be discussed in detail,” the Director said.
The updated master plan would be thrown open for public objections before final implementation, he added.
Responding to a query on the shrinking Dal Lake and a PIL on the matter before the High Court, Sajad said each destination has its own administrative mechanism.
“The LCMA takes care of Dal Lake. Similarly, every development authority, whether in Sonamarg or Gulmarg, has its own administrative set-up to supervise and resolve day-to-day problems,” he said.
The Director emphasised that long-term planning must not compromise ecology. “There should be no tarnishing of the beauty of our destinations, which is the prime attraction for tourists. The final product will be a win-win for nature, natural resources, local people, and tourists,” he added.
The conclave marks the first in a series of consultations aimed at rolling out a comprehensive tourism policy for the Union Territory, officials said.
