Srinagar, June 17: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday called on the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) to help restore confidence in Kashmir as a travel destination, while presenting a roadmap to revive the Valley’s tourism sector.
“We are extremely grateful to IATO for coming here and organizing this visit, because confidence works both ways. We want you to have faith in Kashmir as a destination, and your presence here gives us confidence that we are on the right path,” Omar said while addressing the visiting IATO delegation in New Delhi.
Referring to the recent tragic incident in Pahalgam, Omar said it had deeply impacted 26 families and many others. “What happened in Pahalgam is beyond words. The attack occurred just as the tourist season in Kashmir was beginning to show promise,” he said.
He added that the administration had to shut down several popular tourist destinations following the attack. “We were urging people to come to Pahalgam, but at the same time saying you can’t go to Betab Valley, Aaru, or the parks. So what were we really offering?” he remarked.
However, he noted that the situation was beginning to improve, and some locations were being reopened after careful review. “It’s reassuring that, after considerable effort, we’ve managed to reopen a number of destinations that were closed immediately after the Pahalgam incident,” he said.
Highlighting adventure tourism as a key growth area, Omar said the government was looking to revive trekking routes in a phased and carefully considered manner. “We want to reintroduce trekking as part of adventure tourism, ensuring safety while gradually expanding opportunities,” he said.
The Chief Minister expressed hope that more locations would soon become accessible. “As confidence returns, I’m optimistic that the list of restricted areas will gradually shrink,” he said.
He also emphasised the need to create new experiences within existing tourist hubs. Citing his recent visit to Betab Valley, Omar said the area had strong potential for activities like ziplining. “We already have a few short ones, but if you look across the river toward the mountain face, it’s an ideal spot for more extensive adventure activities,” he said, adding that infrastructure providers in India had been approached to explore these possibilities.
Omar further stressed the need to market Gulmarg beyond the winter season. “We often view Gulmarg solely as a winter adventure destination. But we should follow the example of European resorts that have reinvented themselves for summer tourism,” he said.
He suggested that ski slopes could be used for mountain biking, ski lifts repurposed as transport for trekking routes, and dry toboggan runs installed to offer a year-round adventure tourism experience.
“All of these proposals are under active consideration,” he said. “We know we have to stay ahead of the curve — constantly improving the experience, diversifying offerings, and exploring new areas of focus.”
Omar also said that all such proposals were under consideration and the administration would keep working to improve the tourism experience. “The point I am trying to make is that we are acutely aware that we need to constantly be on our game and be looking at how we can improve the experience, what we can add to make the experience more varied and multiple areas of focus,” he added.
The interaction was attended by Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani, Commissioner Secretary Tourism Yasha Mudgal, Director Tourism Kashmir Raja Yaqoob Farooq, President IATO Ravi Gosain, senior officials, key tourism stakeholders and IATO office bearers.
