Kashmir’s travel and hospitality sector held detailed interaction with the visiting Maharashtra travel and tour operators in Pahalgam, Srinagar and Gulmarg during their four-day familiarization trip to Kashmir and vowed to promote Kashmir among the travellers.
The 32-member delegation of Maharashtra Tour OperatorsAssociation (MTOA) led by its president Sudhir Patel arrived in Srinagar onApril 7 and will leave back tomorrow.
The delegation was mesmerized by Valley’s beauty andhospitality and expressed their desire to send a good chunk of travellers toValley for holidaying.
Dharmendra Singh Chauhan Chapter Chairman of AssociationDomestic Tour Operators of India Maharashtra after visiting Kashmir said theplace is most beautiful in the entire country and needs to be promoted by thetravel agents among the travellers.
“We will send the circular to all the chapter chairmen to promote Kashmir and highlight its beauty and hospitality of the people among the travellers. Kashmir is one of the prime markets for the travel and tour operators who want to sell it throughout the year.
We are happy that the local people here are more hospitable which gives us the satisfaction that the tourists will leave back with happy memories,” said Dharmendra.
On the first day, Secretary Tourism Rigzian Sampheal and Director Tourism Kashmir Nisar Ahmad Wani welcomed the visiting travel agents here at Tourist Reception Centre Nowgam where from they were taken to Pahalgam.
The tour operators had interaction with the Pahalgam Hotel and Restaurant Owners Association and other service providers. On the second day, the delegation visited Srinagar where they visited Tulip Garden and also had a boat ride in Dal Lake.
The delegation also held another interaction at TRC Conference Hall with the travel, hotel and Houseboat association representatives.
On the third day today, the visiting travel and touroperators visited Gulmarg and also enjoyed a Gondola ride to the second phase.Later in the evening, they held interaction with the Hoteliers Club GulmargChapter at Golf Club.
Director Tourism presided over all the meetings at Pahalgam,Srinagar and Gulmarg wherein the local stakeholders urged the visiting travelagents about promoting Kashmir.
Hoteliers Club Chairman Mushtaq Chaya who also interactedwith the travel agents in Srinagar and Pahalgam said the travel agents not onlyvisited the tourist resorts but also visited hotels and saw the properties sothat they can promote them in their tour itineraries.
“We are thankful to the tourism department for organizingsuch FAM tours. Hoteliers got excellent opportunity to network with the leadingtour operators from Maharashtra who brings maximum business to Kashmir,” saidChaya.