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| Need for developing new tourist destinations in Jammu | | | When President Kashmir Hotel And Restaurant Association(KHARA),Siraj Ahmed,cautioned the state Government against linking politics with tourism he had in his mind the impact on tourist traffic the moment Government starts linking bumper tourist arrivals to improved security scenario.Hence he does not want the Government to treat heavy tourist arrivals as the yardstick for measuring security environment.He is right.Over the years,especially right from 1990 when militancy related violence hit Jammu and Kashmir,the successive state Governments and the police usually linked tourist traffic to the valley to improvement or lack of it in the security situation.For any Government agency bumper tourist traffic would mean normalcy and poor tourist traffic could indicate disturbed security conditions in the state.Well things have,on some occasions,gone beyond this simple permutation and combination.Whenever the valley has been flooded by tourists any announcement
or claim by the Government that the security situation having remained normal had encouraged more tourists to visit the state would prove counterproductive.Immediately militants and their handlers are quick in carrying out a couple of gun or grenade attacks,even some tourist buses are attacked,resulting in a situation in which tourists are seen cutting short their stay in Kashmir and those who intended to visit the valley cancelling their reservation.
Hence Siraj Ahmed does not want the Government to display its joy over heavy tourist traffic and instead allow it to remain a normal or a routine affair which does not deserve to have special attention and publicity. Siraj's observation or thinking may be partly correct.But one thing is clear that peace is needed for ensuring bumper tourist traffic to Kashmir.Tourists do not want to spend days and weeks in tension and fear when they spend a fortune on travelling to the valley and on board and lodging in Kashmir.If they visit Kashmir,or for that matter any resort and scenic place,they do it to enjoy the bliss of solititude,peace and normalcy. No tourist will spend huge sums of money on resting in a place where death seems to dance on the roads and in the streets.Nobody will spend money on a trip to Kashmir if one is forced to remain indoors for all the time because of violence and shutdown.None will love to be in Kashmir to be
greeted by
roar of gun fire and grenades.You do not spend money for entertaining death and inviting scare.Usually people who are fedup with the daily hectic routine of life travel to scenic spots for rest and recreation and they do not visit spots having panoramic views simply to count the dead and listen to the roar of the exchange of fire between the terrorists and the security forces.They do not travel to listen to slogans that could send shivers down the spine of excursionists.
And the Minister for Tourism,Nawang Ringzin Jora,is right when he says that peace is imperative for heavy tourist traffic to Kashmir.He said so after the memories of the last summer were quite fresh in his mind.During the last summer the valley witnessd a bumper tourist traffic and the occupency rate in hotels and houseboats was more than 90 per cent.And within hours the valley was left with no tourist after several thousand visitors cut short their stay when street protests and clashes between the protesters and the security forces disturbed the serenity in the valley.And those who had intended to visit Kashmir visited other tourist destinations resulting in heavy losses to those connected directly or indirectly with the tourist trade.It has been almost a hide and seek situation as far as tourism sector is concened during the last 21 years.Though the situation has slightly improved with increase in tourist arrivals
traders,transporters and
hoteliers had to bank on pilgrim tourism during the last two decades.Prior to the rise of militancy Kashmir would receive between six lakh and eight lakh tourists annually.The figure dropped to a few hundred between 1991 and 1996.Since then there has been gradual increase alongwith the rapid increase in the number of pilgrims to the Shrines of Vaishnov Devi and Amarnath.Hence those connected with the tourist trade need to get in touch with those who handle the activities of militants so that the separatists did nothing that could affect tourist traffic to Kashmir.Side by side the state Government should find an alternative and it can be done if new tourist destinations in Jammu region were developed and projected properlty outside the state.(
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