J&K gears up for tourism boom with Private-Public Partnership drive: Yasha Mudgal

Srinagar, Feb 20: Commissioner Secretary tourism department Yasha Mudgal Thursday said that Jammu and Kashmir is all set for a tourism boom with active Private-Public Partnership drive.
A high-level meeting was held in New Delhi that brought together key stakeholders to discuss strategies for strengthening private-public partnerships. The meeting was attended by top officials, including Commissioner Secretary to the Government, tourism department, J&K, Yasha Mudgal; President of the Hotel Association of India (HAI) and Chairman, South Asia Radisson Hotels Group, K.B. Kachru; Director Tourism Jammu, Vikas Gupta; President of the Hotel & Restaurant Association, Katra, and Chairman of the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry Jammu Region Chapter, Rakesh Wazir; and Under Secretary, Tourism J&K Government, Sana Khan.
Mudgal underscored the importance of private sector collaboration in accelerating tourism development. She highlighted the contributions of private enterprises in developing hotels, restaurants, and essential infrastructure such as ropeways and roads. “Jammu and Kashmir is gearing up for tourism boom with Private-Public Partnership drive,” she said.
With the much-anticipated launch of train services to Kashmir, she called for intensified preparations to welcome an expected surge in visitors and urged leading hotel chains to expand their presence in J&K.
K.B. Kachru, representing Radisson Group and HAI, revealed that Radisson already operates multiple hotels in J&K, with plans to expand further. He also pledged to encourage domestic and international hospitality brands to invest in J&K, noting that prominent HAI members such as IHCL, Lalit, IHG, Marriott and Lemon Tree are keen on boosting the region’s tourism potential by significantly increasing accommodation options.
Reminiscing about J&K’s historic status as a premier tourist destination, Kachru highlighted its significance in Bollywood’s golden era. He expressed optimism about the sector’s revival, attributing it to the improved national highway network and the upcoming train connectivity to Kashmir. He assured that HAI would support the UT government in developing key tourist destinations and advocating for enhanced infrastructure across luxury, midscale, and religious tourism sectors.
Rakesh Wazir outlined the rapid transformation of tourist hotspots around Katra, noting a remarkable increase in visitor footfall at attractions such as Shiv Khori, Nau Devian, Baba Dhansar, Bhaderwah, and Patnitop. He pushed for further expansion to lesser-known locations such as Devi Pindian, Mathwar, Ambaran, Showa Mata, Raghunath Temple, and Bawe Wali. Wazir also proposed various initiatives, that a light and sound show on the history of Maa Vaishno Devi at Katra
Beautification and infrastructure upgrades at Mansar Lake, with battery-operated sightseeing cars, museum showcasing Jammu’s rich cultural heritage and comprehensive tour packages integrating heritage, adventure, eco-tourism, and wellness tourism.