Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said that J&K has witnessed unprecedented growth post Covid pandemic and roughly 300% YoY (Year-on-Year) increase in foreign tourists.
“Greater efforts and attention were paid to new policies, conducive environment, stimulus for the tourism industry and new experiences and value creation for year-round employment,” the LG said.
Addressing the two-day Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Development Conclave-2024 at Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC), Sinha said that J&K’s tourism industry has gone through a massive transformation over the past few years.
In his address, the LG extended his felicitations to the esteemed members from industry, film, trade and travel management agencies.
He highlighted the efforts of the UT Administration to develop a sustainable tourism model to build J&K as one of the most popular tourist attractions in the world.
At the Conclave, the LG shared the impressive strides of J&K’s Tourism sector and emergence of Jammu Kashmir on the global tourism map.
“Under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the new era in J&K has created international interest while also encouraging domestic tourists to visit J&K. This transformation is enriching local communities and helping us to build a modern tourism industry,” the LG said.
He said, the increase in domestic tourist arrivals is a testament to the strength and potential of our holistic approach for the development of the tourism sector and developing partnership between industry and communities for growth of associated business activities and employment.
The LG gave valuable suggestions on important segments to boost the tourismsector and transform the socio-economic condition of the stakeholders.
He called for collective efforts from experts and industry leaders to explore the potential of adventure, border & heritage tourism, offbeat destinations, golf, bird-watching and agro-tourism in Jammu Kashmir. Destination weddings can also become a key driver for the growth of the tourism sector of Jammu Kashmir, he said.
The LG emphasised on chalking out a strategic roadmap to facilitate maximum private investment in the tourism and hospitality sector.
