Promoting J&K in Middle East

The state tourism department has kicked off a campaign in the Middle East to promote Jammu and Kashmir tourism among leading travel agencies of UAE. It also aims to invite non-resident Kashmiris to invest in the J&K tourism industry.

The Jammu and Kashmir government is looking at unveiling direct Srinagar-Dubai flights in the near future. This was revealed by Talat Parvez, Director, J&K Tourism Department. Parvez, who recently attended the promotional and marketing campaign by J&K Tourism in Dubai, said, “The proposal to start Srinagar-Dubai flight service is in process. Once completed, it will be forwarded to the Union Civil Ministry for approval. The demand for direct connectivity (between Kashmir and the Gulf coun-

J&K Tourism Department has launched a promotional and marketing campaign in Middle East. It aims to invite non-resident Kashmiris to invest in J&K tourism industry

Talat Parvez

Director, J&K Tourism Department

tries) has come up during the proceedings of this roadshow.”

Throwing more light on this recent promotion in the Middle East, Parvez informed, “J&K Tourism Department has launched a promotional and marketing campaign in Middle East starting from Dubai. The campaign seeks to promote Jammu and Kashmir tourism among leading travel agencies of UAE. It also aims to invite non-resident Kashmiris to invest in J&K tourism industry.” Tourists from Gulf countries have carved a niche among the ‘high-end’ category the world over. However, Kashmir has failed to get its share from the region, he laments.

According to Parvez, Kashmir received more than one million tourists in 2013. Majority of this included domestic travellers. “We hardly get any share from the Gulf, owing to the unavailability of shortened air routes for it,” he pointed out. To combat this, the tourism department is also planning to introduce Arabic tourist hotline and text message service that will be available round-the-clock.

The state is also targetting Southeast Asia and Russia to promote J& K as a tourist destination. “The state offers great potential for adventure tourism with numerous activities such as trekking, paragliding, skiing, mountaineering, mountain- biking, cycling, rappelling, ice skating, snowboarding, white- water river rafting, cruising, camping, etc. Authorities have recently taken up resurrection and beautification of the Jhelum River in Jammu & Kashmir. So far, the drive has

` seen an expenditure of 3.33 crore in the drainage and development of a flood channel during the first phase,” he affirmed.