Tasaduq holds introductory meet with travel trade bodies

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, July 24: Director Tourism Kashmir Tasaduq Jeelani today held an introductory and interactive meeting with the tourism stakeholders at TRC to get their feedback about the tourism sector.
All the heads and representatives of the Valley’s travel trade and hotel associations attended the meeting.
While seeking their support for the promotion of the tourism sector, Director Tourism Kashmir assured support to the stakeholders and said that the department would work tirelessly to successfully market the State as one of the prime tourist destinations of the country.
He said the department would leave no stone unturned to promote all the tourism products of the State by organizing road shows at traditional and new markets of the State, holding interaction with media, increasing visibility of the state with more advertising and publicity besides organizing tourism promotional events in Valley.
Jeelani urged the travel trade and hoteliers to promote fair practices in the trade, which will help attract more travelers and build a positive image of the State.
While laying stress on eco-tourism, the Director Tourism said the travel trade fraternity should take care of the fragile environment of the State while earning their livelihood to save the natural resources for the posterity.
He said strict actions would be taken against those who would indulge in unfair trade practices.
On the occasion, the travel trade and hoteliers requested the Director Tourism to promote the State for upcoming Diwali and Durga Puja holidays.
They also urged the Director tourism to promote the State as a safe destination by countering the negative media publicity, which, they said, has affected the tourist influx to Kashmir.
While assuring all support to the travel trade fraternity, Director Tourism Kashmir said he would devise short-term and long-term tourism promotional programmes in consultation with the stakeholders.
Deputy Director Kashmir Masarat Hashim, Deputy Director Registration Waseem Raja, Deputy Director Publicity Riyaz Ahmad Shah besides other officers of the department attended the meeting.