Dir Tourism reviews progress on development projects
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Dir Tourism reviews progress on development projects

Holds Webinar with Gujarat tourism fraternity

Post by on Thursday, February 11, 2021

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Srinagar, Feb 11: Director Tourism, Kashmir Dr GN Itoo on Thursday chaired a meeting here to review the status of projects being executed across various tourist circuits in Kashmir division under the Prime Minister’s Development Package (PMDP), Prime Minister’s Reconstruction Plan (PMRP) and CapEx Budget. He also reviewed the status regarding the Departmental assets at various destinations.

Laying focus on strengthening of assets, the Director Tourism emphasized upon the executing agencies to ensure that all the pending tourism projects under PMDP are completed at the earliest while maintaining the quality of work. He also sought immediate repair works and restoration of the damaged infrastructure due to recent snowfall. For this, he directed the officers to immediately submit the report on the status of each project.

Dr. Itoo also stressed on exploring the new and lesser-known destinations and improving the basic infrastructure there so that tourists can be diverted to these destinations which, he said, will also help maintain the “carrying capacity of the popular destinations like Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Sonmarg during peak seasons.”

The Director Tourism Kashmir said that the department is vigorously promoting Kashmir's known and little known destinations to attract the travelers from across the country. "We will be participating in the travel marts and also organizing road shows in many cities across the country and are expecting a good tourist influx in the coming summer season."

He also called upon the officers of the Tourism department to gear up for the spring and summer tourist season and ensure that facilities available across tourist destinations are well maintained and kept ready to host tourists.

During the meeting, the Director Tourism was briefed about the status of various ongoing projects in the tourism sector including those related to the development of Tourists Facilitation Centers, Tourist Reception Centers, gender-based toilets, installation of bio-digesters, solid waste management, parking, pathways and food courts, landscaping, installation of lighting, construction of the jetties, facilities at Mughal gardens and at pilgrim sites, macadamization of approach roads to offbeat destinations etc.

Joint Director, Tourism, Tabasum Kamili, Chief Executive Officers of various Development Authorities, Deputy Director M&W Syed Zahoor, Executive Engineers and senior officers of the Tourism Department attended the meeting.

Meanwhile, the Director also interacted with the Gujarat travel and trade fraternity through a Webinar organized by the J&K Tourism's Ahmedabad office on Thursday. Heads of major travel associations, tour operators and travel agents participated in the Webinar.

Dr Itoo presented the calendar of promotional activities slated for the upcoming spring and summer seasons, both within and outside J&,K including holding of Pahalgam Festival next week, almond bloom festival in Spring at Badamwari Srinagar, Tulip Festival in April and Houseboat Festival in the summer. "The Department will be organizing festivals and destination promotional activities across all tourism destinations of J&K,” he said and added that three more tourist destinations including Sonmarg, Doodhpathri and Yusmarg will shortly be opened for tourists.

The Director also apprised the tour operators of Gujarat about the measures put in place including those related to COVID to ensure that all tourists visiting J&K have a “comfortable and a memorable stay.” In response to some queries raised during the Webinar, Itoo assured the tour operators of Gujarat that these will be looked into for “prompt resolution.”

The Gujarat tourism fraternity members including Manish Sharma, TAFI Chairman, Mahesh Dudakiya, ex-president TAAFI, Gujarat chapter, Ajay Modi, Executive member, Travel Agents Association of Gujarat, Mayank Patel, Secretary, Gujarat Railway Tour Organizers Association, Kinjal Patel, member, TAG assured their support to J&K Tourism and reiterated that J&K will always “remain among the most preferred destination for the tour and travel fraternity of Gujarat.”

Deputy Director, Tourism Publicity, Ideel Saleem and Tourist Officer, Ahmedabad J&K Tourism Office, Ankush Soni also participated in the Webinar.