Dr. Jeet Dogra
“Ghar wapasi of bollywood to boost tourism in the state”, this was the punch line of state’s CM (as well as tourism minister) while addressing the various press-meets in a week long state’s tourism promotional campaign in Ahmedabad, Mumbai and New Delhi, recently. He has put the forever charm of Bollywood on top slot, which can bring tourists back to the state. To re-establish the area of film tourism in the state, the state government is now back it in a facilitating environment. To add further, he was even ready to open the doors of his own official residence – Hari Nivas – as a venue for destination weddings. The other prominent agenda was a vision to promote Gulmarg on the lines of Davos, where country’s top business and policy makers can hold annual summits.
Some other plans included in his addresses were hosting cultural events at places of tourist attractions like Char-Chinar, Son lankar and Mughal Gardens. To focus on promotion of elite leisure activities, the priorities are laid on golfing, conference and corporate tourism for which tie-ups with leading business firms and companies will be shortly worked out. And to promote tourism in Jammu, the state government wants to open an International Yoga Centre to attract the foreign tourists.
The next top priority of the state’s tourism department is to achieve a status of 365-days destination. That is why the lesser-known destinations like Ladakh, Patnitop, Bhaderwah, Gurez, Dodhpathri, Kokernag, Verinag, Yusmarg etc. are also planning to add into the list of usual tourist places like Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Sonamarg and Srinagar. There is an invitation from state tourism management bodies to tourism industry players for putting their professional skills in designing attractive packages for domestic as well as for overseas travellers to visit J&K.
Moreover, to offer the various options of accessibility is another innovative planning of state tourism. Likewise, the state would also be planning to cater those tourists who have flown in from cities for the weekend and would fly back to join work. The next one is an addressing the issue of operating chartered flights between Delhi and Srinagar to check rising air fares. And to look at a possibility to have a night landing facility at least in Srinagar airport. For the better air connectivity, the areas like Gulmarg, Sonmarg and Pahalgam, would also have helicopter services to these tourist destinations in the coming time. Also, there is a plan to start flying chartered planes with a fixed price of about ? Rs 5,000 to put prices of other airlines under check. To provide an alternate mode of transport to the tourists, there is a plan for running of special trains from Ahmedabad, Delhi, Pune and Mumbai to Jammu.
To reposition J&K as the country’s top tourist and all-season destination, the government has sought cooperation from all to change the course of the state and remove the trust deficit especially in the tourism sector. For consistent arrivals of tourists, there is a need to frame out some immediate measures to win back the trust of tourists. On the other side, the security issue is a major restraint for tourists visiting the state. To cater all these, there is an urgent need to change the perception about security in the state. And motivate the tourist to visit the region at least once instead of relying on ubiquitous media. To counter such perceptions, there is a need to contact them through clear communication about the real situation as far as safety and security and information about natural calamities especially like the floods are concerned. Let’s recall that globally it is already justified even by facts and figures that tourism has a multiplier effect. The state needs it to streamline the tourism set up within its varied three regions, because the very first thing that comes into anyone’s mind when they hear the word J&K is “tourism”.
(The writer is an Asst. Professor in IITTM, Gwalior)
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