Srinagar Jan 29: A delegation of Kashmir Hotels and Restaurant Association (KHARA) and Kashmir Hotels and Restaurant Owners Federation (KHAROF) met the Minister of State for Tourism Sajad Ahmad Kichloo here to discuss the long and short term tourism plans. KHARA delegation was led by its president, Showkat Ahmad Chowdhary and was accompanied by association General Secretary Adil Khan, Joint Secretary General, Abdul Majeed and Secretary Publicity, Aisha Saleem while as KHAROF delegation was led by its Joint Secretary, General Abdul Wahid Malik. In the long term policies, the hoteliers demanded comprehensive tourism policy for the development of eco-friendly tourist infrastructure in Valley.
 “We asked the minister that Kashmir Valley should have new tourist infrastructure for which tourism ministry should first devise a comprehensive tourism master plan. The new infrastructure development should be in sync with the suggestion of the local tourism players. We want the infrastructure should come up with a proper strategy which will make our tourism sustainable and should blend with the nature,” said KHARA President Showkat Chowdhary. He said tourism ministry should allow hoteliers to go for repair works of their infrastructure at Pahalgam and on Boulevard.
  “Government is providing incentives if a hotelier upgrades 33 per cent of his existing infrastructure. This is not justifiable. We want government to provide us incentives for upgradation of infrastructure without keeping these conditions,” KHARA demanded. The hoteliers also urged the minister to upgrade the infrastructure at airport for the comfort of the travelers.
 “Government should increase the sitting capacities besides developing separate roads for arrival and departure so that visitors feel at ease at airport,” said KHAROF Joint General Secretary Abdul Wahid Malik. Both KHARA and KHAROF demanded the setting up of STPs by the various government departments. KHARA and KHAROF also charted out plan to meet Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather for a pre-budget discussion.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 29 Jan 2013 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 29 Jan 2013 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 30 Jan 2013 00:00:00 IST