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| Tourism lost its sheen of being backbone of JKs economy: experts | | | Early Times Report
JAMMU, Oct 1: If experts are to be believed, the industry of agriculture, horticulture and handicrafts have surpassed the tourism industry of the state of Jammu and Kashmir after the advent of armed struggle in the state, thus expelled tourism industry as the backbone of the state economy.
According to these experts the official figures related to the tourist arrivals included those who come to Jammu and Kashmir as laborer. Since the rise of violence in the state, tourists with limited means, both from in and out of the India visit the state.
Those connected with tourism maintained that most of the tourists stay for a brief period in Kashmir and spend minimum. On several occasions a large number of tourists cut short their stay and others cancel their reservations once the valley witnesses any kind of violence.
Experts envisaged over two million tourists for the next year. However, no one has been talking about the real status of the people visiting the valley! Mere figures do not convey the real story. Tourist arrivals which incidentally may include people working here do not make the difference. In reality, the class of tourists and the number of nights they stay in hotels tell the true story. There are many other myths about tourism touted by the very strong lobby it represents as well as by almost all the politicians from all the sides using it as the barometer of political normalcy.
In real economic terms it is not at all the backbone of Kashmir's economy but represents less than 10% of the GDP. The three most important sectors of Kashmir's economy are agriculture, horticulture, and handicrafts exported all over the world. Tourism is an additional resource, basically an employment generator. Because of being a service oriented industry it generates thousands of seasonal jobs. The basic requirement for the development of tourism anywhere in the world is "Peace". Unfortunately, Kashmir has been in continuous turmoil. |
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