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State witnessed decline in the flow of tourists in previous years

Subodh Bhasin. Dated: 1/15/2018 8:50:53 AM

Dept of tourism making stringent efforts to boost the tourism in State: Govt

Subodh Bhasin
Jammu, Jan 14
Tourism is one of the most important sectors for the economy of J & K.
It contributes a lot towards the state’s GDP. A many as approximately over 100,000 people, directly and indirectly related to the tourism industry, and when this sector takes a hit due to security issues, all these people employed also are affected adversely
Due to previous years adverse situation there has seen a decline in tourists owing to disturbances earlier, as such tourists across visiting the state preferred other tourists places. In the summer season “The situation was from bad to worse with just 15-20 per cent occupancy of hotels, which is down from 70-80 per cent a year ago. Putting the business as well as livelihood of those concerned with tourism industry was at stake and was looking for opting to other opportunities for earning livelihood.
In response to MLA Shamim Firdous asking the government if the tourism sector suffered huge loss during the last two years the Incharge Minister tourism said that during last two years there has been decrease in the flux of tourists in the State and all the business classes including the tourists Trade take Holders had suffered losses.
“To give a boost to the tourism industry and in order to ensure that the tourism sector makes good the losses, the Department of Tourism has earnestly making efforts to attract more and more tourist to the State by way of organizing various promotional and publicity events at local, National as well as International Level. The aim of such events has also been to negate the wrong perceptions propagated about the State in the rest of country” the Minister said
Such efforts have proved to be successful and the number of tourist visiting id showing upward trend. The hotels are receiving advance bookings for the winter. The increase in the influx of the tourists in the state shall provide financial succor to the affected Stake Holders.
The Department of Tourism is going for aggressive and mass scale publicity campaigns across the country during the upcoming season to intensify the efforts for attracting large number of tourists across the country to the state.
As a part of the same recently three mega promotional events were held at Bengaluru, Hyderabad & Chennai in which the private players of tourism sector of the State also participated.
These events witnessed overwhelming response from the stake Holders of the concerned States.
Talking to Young Bites correspondent several Taxi operators said that as such that with the onset of winter season the tourist have started to visit the state manifolds as compared to previous year.
Sanjeet Singh a taxi operator talking to Young Bites correspondent said that tourism industry is highly sensitive to issues of law and order. When the law and order is not working, tourism across the state is certain to be affected.
Hoteliers were also very much satisfied with the increase in tourist and hoped that State Government should take effective measures to boost the tourism sector and explore more ways so that more and more tourists prefer to visit state, only then the previous years losses can be covered and demanded that more concessions should be given to those who suffered losses during last two years.