After outrage, CM directs Tourism Deptt to participate in OTM Mumbai

Suhail Bhat

SRINAGAR, Jan 29: After outrage from Tourism stakeholders in Jammu and Kashmir for cancellation of the Tourism Department’s participation in the Outbound Travel Mart (OTM) in Mumbai, the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah directed the department to participate in the mart.
A message sent by the Director Tourism Kashmir to the travel agents reads that the Chief Minister has directed the Tourism department to participate in the OTM. “As such the department is participating in OTM 2025 starting from tomorrow”, reads the message.
It may be mentioned here that the Government two days back cancelled the participation of the Tourism Department in the OTM.
Earlier, the tourism stakeholders accused the Department of causing financial losses and logistical setbacks by abruptly cancelling its participation in the OTM in Mumbai.
The stakeholders said that OTM, one of India’s largest tourism promotion events, was scheduled to be held from January 30 to February 1. However, industry representatives who had already arrived in Mumbai were informed that the Government had withdrawn from the event despite earlier assurances of participation.
“We have come all the way to Mumbai to take part in OTM. The Tourism Department took Rs 10,000 from us but here we found that the J&K Government has cancelled participation,” a travel agent told Excelsior over phone from Mumbai.
He accused the J&K Government of deceiving them. “This is a big disservice by the Government to J&K Tourism sector,” he said.
“The Department of Tourism, which has been attending such fairs for over two decades, had initially allocated space for trade representatives from Kashmir. However, stakeholders who had already reached Mumbai were informed at the last minute that the Government had pulled out, leaving them in a difficult position,” the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) said in a statement.
The matter was discussed in a meeting convened by KCCI, which included representatives from 20 travel, hotel, and houseboat associations.
Terming the decision as “complete mismanagement,” a senior travel association member said, “We traveled with promotional materials and made arrangements, only to be told we cannot participate. This damages Kashmir’s reputation as a tourist destination.”