‘Despite floods Kashmir had good tourism season last year’

Gearing up for promotional campaigns, various Kashmir-based travel associations with the support of Government will organize massive marketing shows across many Indian cities during this winter.

The marketing campaigns to be held at Indore, Raipur, Nagpur, Surat, Mumbai, Chandigrah, Ludhiana, Cochin, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Delhi and other places shall include road shows and seminars.

Director Tourism Kashmir, Mahmood Shah confirmed that the department will be organizing such campaigns in several cities of India.

He said the department is also now focusing on the states in which people have little knowledge about Kashmir tourism.

“Despite devastating floods that hit Kashmir last year, we had good tourism season in Valley. We have been taking various stakeholders into confidence and with their consultations will launch marketing campaigns,” he said.

He said the department will be finalizing its programs by the end of this year so that January onwards “we promote Kashmir tourism potential across India.”

“We will go to many India cities during winter months so that we have good tourists flow in spring and summer seasons,” said Mahmood.

Mahmood said the department has also framed spring, summer and autumn based activities “which we have circulated among local stakeholders to get their inputs.”

“Once we get their suggestions, we will accordingly make final announcement of various activities which we will conduct in the Valley itself,” he added.

He said that during the promotion of Kashmir tourism through road shows and seminars in other states, a Golf Road Show will be also organized to promote golf in Kashmir.

The travel associations have joined hands to promote Kashmir at major cities as part of the collaborative efforts to woo tourists back, he said.

“Despite devastated floods in September 2014, Valley received around nine lakh tourists this year,” said Nasir Shah Chairman of Pilgrim and Leisure Tour Operators’ Forum (PILTOF).

“Despite all odds after we witnessed worst-ever floods in 2014, tourist influx was good this year and it is an encouraging sign. We will take this momentum forward to next year and we are expecting good tourist flow during winter months and spring season,” Shah said.

The PILTOF Chairman said tourism bodies are organizing road shows across many cities India from mid January through February.

“Both government and trade bodies will organize these road shows and seminars to promote Kashmir. There will be series of aggressive marketing campaigns to attract tourists to Valley,” said Nasir.

Association of Kashmir Tour Operators (AKTO) Chairman Nazir A Mir said they would go to Raipur first for road shows and seminars.

“Winter months are crucial for marketing. We have almost finalized dates for road shows in Raipur. We will go to other cities also and promote Kashmir so that we have good tourist flow in upcoming seasons,” said Mir.

Mir said tourism department has also taken a good step to attract tourists visiting Jammu for pilgrimage, to Kashmir for sightseeing.

“J&K is receiving millions of pilgrims to religious sites. Katra is receiving huge number of visitors. We are trying to attract this huge number to Kashmir for holidaying also,” said AKTO Chairman.

J&K Tourism Alliance Chairman ManzoorPakhtoon said their association is also finalizing programs for road shows.

“There is no other way but to market Kashmir during winter months. We will organize seminar and road shows besides circulating publicity material. We have all tourism products to offer but we have not fully exploited it. We have to go for aggressive marketing campaigns to compete with other states in tourism and attract tourists off all tastes,” said Pakhtoon.

The tourism bodies also expressed regret over the fire incident in which two houseboats gutted on Saturday morning.

They urged government to provide them permission and wood on subsidized rates on fast track basis to enable the owners to rebuild their houseboats.