Details

Written by: Current News Service

Category: ENVIRONMENT

Published: 09 April 2019

• Visitors assure local travel sector to promote Kashmir

SRINAGAR:  Valley’s travel and hospitality sector held detailed interaction with the visiting Maharashtra travel and tour operators in Pahalgam, Srinagar and Gulmarg during their 4-day Familiarization Trip to Kashmir and vowed to promote Kashmir among the travellers. The 32-member delegation of Maharashtra Tour Operators Association (MTOA) led by its President Sudhir Patel arrived Srinagar April 7 will they will leave back tomorrow.

The delegation was mesmerized by Valley’s beauty and hospitality and expressed their desire to send a good chunk of travellers to Valley for holidaying. Dharmendra Singh Chauhan  Chapter Chairman of Association Domestic Tour Operators of India Maharashtra after visiting Kashmir said the place is most beautiful in the entire country and needs to be promoted by the travel 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 tour operators visited Gulmarg and also enjoyed a Gondola ride to the second phase. Later in the evening, they held interaction with the Hoteliers Club Gulmarg Chapter at Golf Club. Director Tourism presided over all the meetings at Pahalgam, Srinagar and Gulmarg wherein the local stakeholders urged the visiting travel agents about promoting Kashmir.

Director Tourism Kashmir said the FAM tour is part of department’s tourism promotional campaigns, which helps promote Kashmir, highlights its beauty and also gives local travel agents, hoteliers and houseboat owners an opportunity to network with them and promote their companies.  Earlier a week ago, the department organised FAM tour for the representatives of leading media houses from Maharashtra who after returning back have been writing a travel article on Kashmir’s tourism potential.

“The FAM trip has proved beneficial so far and the travel agents have assured to continue promoting Kashmir in a big way,” said Nasir Wani. Hoteliers Club Chairman Mushtaq Chaya who also interacted with the travel agents in Srinagar and Pahalgam said the travel agents not only visited the tourist resorts but also visited hotels and saw the properties so that they can promote them in their tour itineraries. “We are thankful to the tourism department for organizing such FAM tours. Hoteliers got excellent opportunity to network with the leading tour operators from Maharashtra who bring maximum business to Kashmir,” said Chaya.