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| Mufti outlines contours to develop Jammu as tourist hub | | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Mar 13: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today directed the state tourism department to prepare a comprehensive package to promote Jammu as an independent tourist destination, as he outlined the contours to develop the region as a tourist hub.
"The chief minister today issued immediate directions to the Tourism department to prepare an all-inclusive smart package that focuses on increasing the occupancy levels and footfall of tourists in the region," an official spokesman said.
The Chief Minister said he will examine within two weeks the blueprint of the package, which will be prepared in consultation with the private tour and travel operators, he said while taking a review of the department. Mufti also holds the Tourism portfolio.
Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh, Minister for Finance Haseeb Drabu and Minister for Social Welfare and Forest Environment and Ecology Bali Baghat, were also present on the occasion.
The Chief Minister said there is an urgent need to target the region's ideal and known locations like Sanasar, Bhaderwah, Patnitop, Sudhmahadev and Batote in the first phase.
He said that the Tourism Conference showcasing the state's three regions as one entity will be held at Patnitop later this month. "The department should hold pre-conference discussions with all the stakeholders so that the meet becomes fruitful and result-oriented," Mufti said.
The chief minister also issued directions to expedite the construction of Patnitop Ropeway as well as exploring the possibility of organising water sports around the Baghliar Dam catchment, so that adventure tourists are attracted to visit the area full of "stunning locales".
He asked the Tourism department to put in place a regulatory mechanism, with proper checks and balances, so that a discernible change is felt on the ground. "There has to be synergy between the government and private stakeholders in the tourism industry," Mufti said.
He said that the increased spending and plan allocation in the tourism sector will be performance-based.
Reiterating the need for increasing state's intake capacity to match the tourist inflow, Mufti said government will soon take steps to absorb as many tourists as possible.
"I have already expressed my desire to take back idle properties at known health resorts at Gulmarg and Srinagar and properly utilise unused infrastructure so that our intake capacity increases.
"These, however, remain interim measures. In long-term, we need to draw a map to develop high-end tourism infrastructure so that we cater to the requirements of overseas and domestic visitors," the Chief Minister said. |
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