World tourism day is being celebrated on September 27 every year. Several tourism related functions are being held on this day in Jammu and Kashmir. Because of the efforts at the government and non-government levels the tourism sector saw enormous boom during last several years.
Last year around 1.75 crore tourists visited J&K and this year the authorities are expecting two crore visitors by the end of this year.
Enormous tourist rush is being witnessed during the early months of the year but it later slows down from the middle of the year and then picks up again to some extent in the last months of the year.
Efforts should be made so that the rush remains the same through out the year and there is no drop in the arrival of visitors. The reasons for the decrease in the tourist arrival from the middle of the year must be identified and steps taken to address the causes wherever possible.
This is important since the significant tourist arrival has given a new lease of life to tourism, which had suffered badly for decades together.
Since the number of foreign tourists has increased after the meeting of the tourism working group of G20 in Srinagar, the infrastructure at tourist spots must be further developed and improved.
People associated with tourism have been alleging lack of the basic tourism infrastructure at some tourist spots. According to them if the necessary infrastructure at these places is created, it will help in tourist arrival.
The development of infrastructure should not remain confined to a few established and famous tourist destinations only but to other places also. Better facilities and infrastructure is the need of the hour.
For last few years a process has been started to explore new tourist spots. This process must gain further momentum so that other unexplored spots are explored and developed.
Border tourism has also picked up pace after it was introduced. But again the lack of facilities and practical difficulties which the visitors face while reaching to such spots have to minimised wherever possible. Tourism being an important sector in J&K has to be developed at all levels.
The concerned departments must have a regular interaction with the other related stakeholders. This interaction can lead to useful suggestions for the promotion of tourism.
These suggestions should be implemented so that more favourable conditions for tourism are created in Jammu and Kashmir.