Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 27: On the occasion of World Tourism Day, many programmes were held across the UT of Jammu and Kashmir by various organizations.
The School of Hospitality and Tourism Management (SHTM) in Jammu University, in collaboration with the Skill Incubation Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Centre (SIIEDC), organized “Tourism Education Confluence” on the occasion.
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Ramesh Kumar, Divisional Commissioner, Jammu was chief guest while Prof Parikshat Singh Manhas, Chairman, JK Board of School Education, was the guest of honor. Prof Anju Bhasin, Dean Academic Affairs, JU and Prof S P Saraswat, Nodal Principal, Jammu were the special guests on the occasion. Dr Anil Gupta, Director, SHTM presented welcome address.
Ramesh Kumar, in his address, invited the academic fraternity to prepare a road map for tourism exploration and how the tourism services can be improved.
During the function, prizes of competitive event – StartUp fair were also distributed. Jaskiran Kaur, Vaishali Sharma, Rohini Sharma from GCW Gandhi Nagar bagged the first prize. The second prize was also won by GCW Gandhi Nagar which was represented by Sheetal Sharma, Anjali Sharma and Sakshi Sharma. The third prize was won by Kavneet Kour and Kanishka Kapoor from SHTM. In the in-house event the best performer award was bagged by Jasmeet, Isha and Tanvi from BBA-Hotel Management of SHTM.
The Directorate of Tourism Jammu illuminated the spirit of World Tourism Day with an enchanting celebration hosted at the iconic Mubarak Mandi Heritage Complex in Jammu. The event, themed “Tourism and Green Investments,” highlighted the vital role of eco-friendly practices in shaping a sustainable tourism future.
Addressing the media Director Tourism Jammu Vivekanand Rai, emphasized that this celebration served as a beacon of awareness for sustainable Tourism, emphasizing the pivotal role it plays in addressing climate change and fostering innovative solutions for environmental preservation. He further added that this celebration was a poignant reminder of the inseparable link between the well-being of the environment and the growth and productivity of the tourism sector.
Sunaina Sharma, Joint Director Tourism underscored that tourism sector is a driving force for employment generation and sustainable tourism /Eco friendly practices are essential for preserving our planet and ensuring that future generations can cherish the world’s beauty. She emphasized on the need to reflect on responsible tourism, honour local culture, and support host communities.
The day was filled with enlightening panel discussions that brought together a distinguished group of experts from Jammu University, adding tremendous value to the event.
Centre for Hospitality and Tourism, Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University celebrated World Tourism Day.
Vice Chancellor BGSBU Prof. Akbar applauded the efforts of the Centre in organising the event aimed at promoting the need for more and better-targeted investments for the sustainable development goals.
On the occasion a lecture on the theme of the day was delivered by Dr Danish Iqbal Raina, Deputy Director, Centre for Hospitality and Tourism. Dr Raina highlighted the possibilities of strategic investments to contribute to the SDGs. He mentioned that this day has brought in an opportunity for the International Institutions, Governments and investors across the globe to come together to redefine and recalibrate the direction of tourism investments for a more sustainable future for the future generations.
On the occasion of world Tourism Day, Jammu Tawi Golf Course (JTGC), Sidhra organized “Women Putting Competition” today to inculcate competitive spirit among the women. Akita Sethi displayed some great skills and lifted the trophy while Shraddha Gupta was the runner-up. Third place was bagged by Sunita Anand.
Manav Gupta, Secretary JTGC, who was chief guest on the occasion, said that several steps have been initiated to popularize Golf in Jammu and such events will be organized on regular basis.
Prominent Golfers, including Mubassir Latifi, Rakesh Dubey, Aijaz Qaiser, Vijay Saraf, Raman Pargotra, Sourav Sethi, S S Pathania, Ajay Anand and Rohit Gupta were present on the occasion.
To observe the World Tourism Day 2023 and to promote the traditional Duggar culture of J&K, Bhartiya Lok Sangeet Kala Sansthan presented 381st Dogri Musical Play “Sadi Virasat ” in collaboration with Sangam Tru Art Production and Col Mohar Singh Memorial Public High School , Miran Sahib, on the theme of “Tourism and Green Investments”,
Skits, Nukkad Natak and dances were also presented on the occasion to aware the masses on the burning topic of the day. The program was produced by Dr M L Dogra, Chairman, BLSKS.
Charandeep Singh, the Director, Rural Sanitation, also embarked on a visit to the historically significant town of Purmandal in the Samba district, on World Tourism Day.
During his visit, he led a sanitation campaign that saw active participation from PRIs (Panchayati Raj Institutions), volunteers, locals, and officials along the banks of the Gupt Ganga River in the village of Purmandal.
Purmandal, often referred to as ‘Mini or Chhota Kashi’ due to its profound religious and historical significance, was chosen for this occasion to celebrate the rich cultural and natural heritage of the region. Moreover, it served as an opportunity to explore avenues for sustainable tourism development.
The visit garnered a warm welcome from local dignitaries, including Block Development Chairperson Arshad Begum, Sarpanches from Purmandal and neighboring areas, and Block Development Officers from various regions, including Purmandal, Sumb, Nud, Vijaypur, and Ramgarh.