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| Kashmir’s tourism season body hit | | | Early Times Report
Jammu, May 2 - The state Government's efforts for reviving tourism industry in Jammu and Kashmir have so far borne no fruits as the valley is yet to receive a sizeable number of excursionists from rest of the country and abroad. Those connected with tourism said that elections and calls for Bandhs seem to have hit the tourist traffic to Kashmir. A travel operator said that he had reserved rooms in a hotel for a group of tourists from Maharashtra but the excursionists cancelled their reservation when they came to know that the separatists had give a call for 50-hour Bandh in Kashmir valley. He said undeclared curfew restrictions too had forced the holidayers to make it to Himachal instead of Kashmir.
However, Tourism Department officials said that since the security environment was going to be normal after the end of the Lok Sabha election "we expect bumper tourist traffic to Kashmir." The officials said that the Department has initiated a dialogue with the Tour and Travel Operators in all the major cities of the country for reviving tourist trade in Jammu and Kashmir. The officials said that the centre has been aiding and supporting several schemes that had been launched. They said that the Union Ministry of Tourism had sanctioned Rs.2.50 crores for development of tourism infrastructure in the Lolab Valley and another Rs.3.69 crore for similar program for Gurez valley. The other areas which the Government plans to develop for tourism include Bungus valley, Basholi-Billawar Tourist circuit, Zanskar, Bhaderwah, Kishtwar-Sinthan areas and Botapathri in Gulmarg.
Hotelier and houseboat owners in Kashmir have appealed the separatists to create an atmosphere which could attract tourists to the valley. They said that reports suggesting entry of Talibans into Kashmir too had affected tourist traffic to Kashmir. They suggested to the state Government agencies to launch a vigorous campaign for attracting tourists to visit Kashmir.
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