Rising trend: J&K govt has gone into an overdrive to sell Kashmir as an ideal tourist destination for the visitors
Forget Handwara, the Kashmir Valley is bursting at the seams with tourists. Official figures reveal that the daily tourist arrivals from different parts of the country have touched 8,000. Officials said tourist bookings are at their peak this season as scorching heat wave sweeps most parts of the country.
National Institute of Technology (NIT) crisis and Handwara unrest had sent shivers down the tourism operators as prolonging of imbroglio could have sounded a death knell for the sector.
"Yes it has so far survived the brunt (of Handwara and NIT crisis). Cancellations There have been not much cancellations. Since we have survived Handwara and NIT, bookings have started pouring in again", GM Dag, president Kashmir Hotel and Restaurant Owners Federation (KHROF), told dna.
Sensing trouble, Jammu and Kashmir government too acted fast to allay fears and restore confidence among the visitors in different parts of the country. "We gave advertisements in different states. Thankfully we had no cancellations. There is a huge rush of tourists in the valley", Peerzada Zahoor, deputy director tourism, told dna.
Official figures reveal that 2, 16,252 tourists arrived in Jammu and Kashmir from January 1 to March 18 this year against 82,376 in the corresponding period last year. The arrivals include 5,524 foreigners against 4,494 in corresponding period last year.
What has been the icing on the cake is the two-day Shikara festival that kicked off on Wednesday at the famed Dal Lake. The festival will showcase not only our the Shikaras and houseboats but rich cultural heritage of Kashmir.
"Shikara and houseboat is our USP. We conduct this festival every year. It is a regular activity. The basic aim of organising the festival is to provide some entertainment and involve tourists," said Zahoor.
On day first, Bandpather (Kashmiri folk theatre) and Chakri (Kashimiri folk songs) were presented which enthralled the tourists. Shikara race, Canoe polo match, dragon boat race and cultural show are all planned for the second day of the festival. "The response was very good. Tourists were also given a free joy ride in Shikaras on day first, said Zahoor.
This year the Jammu and Kashmir government has gone into an overdrive to sell Kashmir as an ideal tourist destination for the visitors. From holding road shows in different states to organizing familiar tours, the government is trying to create a feel good factor and overcome negative propaganda which hampers the arrivals.
Last year tourism arrivals witnessed a sharp decline after the rumours about another deluge spread across the country. Official figures reveal that 9.5 lakh tourist arrived in the valley in entire 2015.
"We have proposed that tourist promptional shows should be held in Gujarat, Maharashtra and West Bengal from where we get bulk of the tourists. And it should not be a one day affair but it should held for at least one-week to woo tourists to Kashmir," said Dag.
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