Srinagar, Dec 25:  A joint tourism forum  of eight tourism trade bodies comprising of TASK, JKTA, J&K PILTOF, TTIG,  DTOAK and Chapters of  TAAI, IATO & ADTOI  met the Secretary Tourism, Sarmad Hafeez  Friday and apprised him about the present tourism scenario.

 

The spokesperson of the forum in the first instant complimented the tourism secretary for taking all initiatives in promoting domestic tourism which caters to 98 percent of the stakeholders including hoteliers, houseboat owners, tour operators, taxi operators, Shikara wala, Pony wallas, ATV riders etc besides PSU, JKTDC and JKCCC.

 

The forum apprised the Tourism Secretary that promotional activities have to continue for the next 2/3 months by way of participating in trade fairs, road shows, besides social media, CRM and print and electronic media.

 

The forum suggested the tourism secretary that UT government should implement the proposal submitted through department of tourism for releasing long term incentives and compensations due to business losses, besides  covering all units under insurance scheme  for business losses due to any force measure.

 

The secretary tourism was also advised to implement the Market Development Assistance scheme recently launched by Ministry of Tourism, Government of India for travel trade to participate in various trade fairs / marts etc.

 

He was also requested to hire a professional marketing team for giving vide publicity to J&K tourism besides a good professional event management company where in all the local activities in Jammu & Kashmir such as various  local food or cultural festivals,  snow skiing festivals in Gulmarg, spring, summer, Autumn or winter festivals in Pahalgam  and celebration of various other activities be outsourced to a top level professional without compromising with the quality as this will lessen the burden the officials of the Tourism Department.

 

The joint tourism forum said Secretary Tourism heard all their points and gave a patient hearing and assured that these will be implemented in letter and spirit in the shortest possible time.

 

He also appreciated  the members of forum for being in the frontline in bringing tourists to Kashmir both domestic and foreign for last five decades.

 

Those who apprised the Secretary Tourism were the Heads of TASK, JKTA, PILTOF, TTIG, DTOAK &  Chapters of the National Bodies, such as TAAI, IATO & ADTOI.