STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Secretary Tourism, Dr. Syed Abid Rasheed Shah on Friday held an interactive meeting with Tourism Stakeholders in order to review the current scenario in the sector and chalkout the strategy for upcoming publicity/promotional and developmental campaign for this year.
The Tourism Secretary complimented the service providers for their support and cooperation in achieving a brisk tourism season last year and urged them to come forward with their ideas for promotion of tourism in the region.
He sought their support in maintaining the tempo of tourist arrivals in the coming days as well.
Secretary Tourism, J&K informed the stakeholders that the Government has already notified Homestay guidelines and asked them to popularize these among the fraternity.
He said in the coming months, the Department has planned many promotional activities across the Division to sustain and further improve the tourist footfall to J&K.
Elaborating on the upcoming programme to attract both budget and high end tourists he said that vibrant and colourful festivals at Bani Basohli, Bhaderwah, Patnitop etc., are being planned.
Secretary Tourism briefed that the Government has planned these events and hoped that these festivals will be Mega events to promote regions culture, seasons, topography etc.
Dr. Syed who chaired the interactive session sought suggestions and active participation of the travel trade bodies for the successful conduct of these festivals especially the upcoming Shri Amarnath Yatra and also discussed the suggestions with regards to development of the tourist destinations.
He further elaborated that the department shall shortly organise FAM tours for travel agents/bloggers so that the offbeat locations of Jammu are explored and put on tourism map.
He also requested the stakeholders to come up with small tourism activities at their own level which shall be memorable for the tourists visiting the region. The representatives of service providers congratulated the Tourism Department for its efforts in taking the sector to new heights and organising events at Mubarak Mandi, Kishtwar, Bhaderwah etc. which were well appreciated by one and all.
They also put forth their suggestions and even sought redressal of some of their difficulties which they face on daily basis. He directed the officers to come up with an early solution in this regard so that the department and the stakeholders can effectively help to promote and develop tourism. He directed the officers to act as facilitators so that the issues of stakeholders are genuinely addressed.
Director Tourism, Jammu, Vivekanand Rai, Special Secretary Tourism Department, Amarjeet Singh, Additional Secretary, Tourism Department, Sachin Dev Singh, Joint Director Tourism, Sunaina Sharma, Deputy Director Tourism, Jammu, Dr. Umesh Shan, Deputy Director Tourism, Publicity and Adventure, Jammu, Abdul Jabbar, Deputy Director Tourism M&W Amit Sharma and other officers of the Department; representatives of hoteliers, travel agents were also present in the meeting.