Advisor to Governor Khurshid Ahmad Ganai on Friday said that poll process during Lok Sabha elections beginning next month will not have any negative impact on tourist footfall.
Answering questions of mediapersons on sidelines of a Chinarplantation programme at Char Chinari in Dal Lake, Ganai said he was hoping thatthe situation in the valley remains favourable to tourism.
“Elections have happened in the past and tourists havearrived here during such period. I won’t hesitate in saying that our touristseason has kick-started and we would like to welcome tourists,” Ganaisaid.
“Whatever incident happened on February 14 unfortunatelylead to Indo-Pak hostility but now it is past. We are hoping for peacefulenvironment and I am sure tourists need not worry,” said Ganai. “We are hopingthat untoward incidents do not get repeated.”
Ganai said tourists must visit the Valley to enjoy thespring season and the forthcoming summer season as well. He said touristsvisiting the valley have been all praises for Kashmir tourism.
“Negative publicity of the valley is not acceptable to us.It has been our culture to be hospitable to tourists and be warm to them. Thisspirit of hospitality is present in all divisions of the state,” he said.
Ganai said tourism department and other stakeholders weremaking all sorts of efforts to encourage more tourist arrivals.
“We don’t have control over advisories issued by severalcountries but we would like to invite people from various parts of the country.Intending tourists who have never visited Kashmir and those who want to visitus again are most welcome,” said Ganai.
Earlier speaking at the chinar plantation event, Ganai saidthat providing a boost to tourist spots will help to encourage more tourists.
He said one way of saving these rare trees was to plant tennew ones in place of each tree being felled. He said that it was theresponsibility of civil society to cooperate with the government and help toprotect these rare trees, which has huge botanical potential and cultural valuein the Kashmir. “The Floriculture department has distributed Chinar treesin all the districts, which will be simultaneously planted during thedrive,” Ganai said.
“If we want to do something big in saving the Chinartrees, we all must work in close coordination and help them to grow in asuitable environment,” he said.