Dir Tourism opinions points confronting tourism sector with stakeholders

The Director of Tourism, Kashmir, Dr. GN Itoo, today in a consultation meeting with representatives of various tourism associations gave a detailed overview of the problems that tourism actors are confronted with in the current COVID situation.

The Director of Tourism informed the tourism actors that the J&K government has classified the tourism actors as front-line workers along with workers from other critical sectors.

Dr. Itoo told the meeting that the vaccination process for members of the tourism sector between the ages of 18 and 44 has started as of today at TRC, Srinagar, Gulmarg and Pahalgam. Today 871 thrusts (Gulmarg-421, TRC, Srinagar-203 and Pahalgam-247) were carried out among employees of hotels, guest houses, travel agencies, restaurants, houseboats and shikarawallas.

The vaccination campaign would take four days to cover all eligible tourism actors.

To oversee the vaccination process, a special cell was set up in the tourism department and nodal officers were used to smoothly administer the vaccination doses.

The Director of Tourism also informed tourism stakeholders that the department has planned a capacity building program for members of the tourism trade to deal with the post-COVID situation. The program will start in the coming days.

In response to a specific request from tourism stakeholders, the Director of Tourism, Kashmir informed the meeting that the department plans to improve Sonmarg as a winter travel destination for which the department is taking the necessary steps at various levels.

Dr. Itoo also assured the tourism stakeholders that it would show compassionate consideration in all other questions raised by them.

Representatives of various trade organizations from segments such as hotels, restaurants, guest houses, travel agencies, houseboats, bathing boats, motor boats and shikarawallas attended the meeting.