Srinagar, Mar 21: The Valley travel and tourism traders have expressed dismay over the budget proposals 2010-11 presented in the Assembly recently. The traders said their expectations with the budget were not met.
  “For travel and tour operators, this budget is nothing but a huge disappointment. It’s simply hopeless for us,” said Rouf Ahmad Tramboo, president, Travel Agents Association of Kashmir.
 “Where the budget seems good for other sectors, it is not so for the tourism. The tourism industry has been ignored, which is quite disappointing for us,” echoed Abdul Khaliq Wangnoo, president Travel Agents Society of Kashmir.
 Tourism traders said they were expecting relief in terms of some package to the tour operators and travel agents, “but we are really disappointed.”
 “We wanted the government to announce some package for the transporters to get new coaches, so that transport component could get cheaper for us, which would help us to make the packages cost-effective,” said Tramboo.
 “Then if hoteliers were given some relief, they too could have slashed their tariffs that also would have helped tour operators a great deal, for more and more tourists visited here then. But there is nothing such in the budget,” he said.
 TASK president said they were expecting various proposals and lot of finance for infrastructure and tourism related things, “but they have not touched tourism at all.”
 According to tour operators, despite being the main industry of Kashmir, tourism was being neglected by the authorities.
 “We consider ourselves a bridge between tourists and rest of the service providers. We are running from pillar to post to fetch tourists for Kashmir, Ladakh and Jammu regions. And this is what we get in return,” said Tramboo. “Besides, we are spending a huge amount of money for the promotion of tourism by way of printing brochures and attending travel trade fairs and marts in different parts of the country and even outside,” he added.
  “Then tourism is the industry that is providing bread and butter to scores of people. Officially they say 60 per cent, but according to us it is 70 per cent of people, who live on tourism. So this sector deserves a major attention from the government,” said Wangnoo.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 21 Mar 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 21 Mar 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 22 Mar 2010 00:00:00 IST