J-K Govt woos foreign tour operators to promote Kashmir

Interacting with the delegation here, Minister for Tourism and Culture Nawang Rigzin Jora today appealed the foreign tour operators, who are on a three-day visit, to promote Kashmir as a peaceful and beautiful destination on the world tourism map and help in persuading various countries to lift their adverse travel advisories.

The delegation, comprising of more than 30 delegates, is on an exploratory visit of the valley.

Jora said the aim of hosting such a delegation is to let them see for themselves the peaceful situation in the valley and persuade the tourists to visit Kashmir.

"They will move around, explore places, see for themselves that the situation is peaceful and when they go back they would persuade people that it is safe to visit Kashmir," Jora told reporters.

The minister said the situation in Kashmir has improved considerably and expressed hope that many countries will follow Germany to lift their respective travel advisories. Germany has modified its adverse travel advisory to Kashmir last year.

"If Britain lifts the advisory, then every Commonwealth nation will. New Zealand, Australia and Canada, all will follow," he said.

Commissioner-Secretary Tourism Atal Dullo said Kashmir is a 360-degree and all season destination and appealed to the operators to hard-sell it as an important and peaceful place.

Many delegates expressed happiness over the improvement in the overall situation and vowed to promote Kashmir in their countries vigorously.

"It is incredible to be here. I am enjoying my stay. People are very warm and caring here. We are not used to such a care in the UK," a tour operator from the UK said.

A Singaporean tour operator labelled Kashmir as the "best place in Asia".

The delegates interacted with their counterparts here and assured them that they will do their best to promote tourism in Kashmir.