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| Tourism Deptt spends crores, tourist flow declines | | | Raj Sandeep
Early Times Report
Jammu, June 10: For development of tourist industry and providing cozy atmosphere and high quality hospitality totourists, the basic infrastructure development at various tourist spots must primarily arrest the attention of govt instead of prodigal expenditure on attracting the tourists.
The figures available for perusal revealed that Tourism Department has spent Rs. 312.89 lacs for promotion of tourismthrough advertisements in local, national and international print media to create awareness about various tourists spot of State. Besides Rs. 42 lacs have been incurred on tours to abroad for publicity of JK tourists spots in international travel events during 2015 for attracting foreign tourists and also Rs. 14.75 lacs were incurred on air tickets of officers for participation in national travel events. The sources told that the net result of spending crores did not yield encouraging improvement in the flow of national and international tourists in the state. As per figures, during the year 2015 till date, Kashmir receives 927815 tourists in 2015 which is less than 2 lac numbers of tourists in 2014. The figures further reveal that out of total 898861 tourists were from mainland India and 28954 tourists were foreigners who visited tourists spots in state.
Analysing the expenditure incurred on foreign trips made by officials of Tourism Department vis-a-vis numbers of foreign tourists visited state in 2015 which is comparatively very less , it reveals the futility of such an endeavor on the part of Tourism Department involving huge public money being spent on foreign tours to promote tourism of the State. Analysts of tourism affairs opine that the state government should depute teams of officers well conversant with functioning of tourism to other part of the country in order to study their tourism sector to know the facilities being offered to tourists there to attract and satisfy those coming there. This, they assert, will help state Tourism Departmentmake up the short comings hindering adequate flow of tourists in the state and correspondingly upgrade more facilities at par with other tourists spots of the country.
The sources informed Early Times that different tourist spots existing in Jammu division are awaiting infrastructural upgradation as yet in terms of smooth road connectivity, basic facilities like adequate drinking water, public lavatories, sitting arrangements, eatable spots, plantation of trees for shadow along the tourist place etc. They further told that pilgrim tourism goes on of its own with people coming to state for darshans and paying respects to Vaishno Devi at Katra spontaneously without much persuasions and consequently they happen to visit few known tourist spots in hilly areas not beyond Patnitop, which is not enough for the state's tourism department to feel proud of and boast .
Ram Saran of Surinsar told that the oldest tourist destination at Surinsar has not been given due care to develop it fully with its approach road in a bad condition, surrounding of lake gives shabby look with no facility of concrete pathway for tourists to stroll , no food eatery, further said adding that under such appalling conditions in Surinsar what for thetourists shall come there when department lacks visionary approach to develop one of the nearest spots from Jammu.
Similar is the position of Mansar tourists spot which too awaits upgradation in infrastructural facilities with extremely poor road connectivity, said Ashwani Singh of Samba, adding that there are almost no eatery points for tourists, no wash rooms facility, lack of cleanliness as well as disposal of waste. Similar is condition of Patnitop and Sanasar touristdestinations where roads leading there are in a dilapidated conditions.
Govind Ram from Maharashtra while talking to Early Times correspondent expressed his annoyance and said that how can the state tourism department expects tourists to flood in J&K from outside the state when the basic facilities are missing from the tourists spots and under the given circumstances, even local tourists would prefer to go somewhere else for pleasure trip alongwith families in sweltering heat. He said that commensurate with the hype of advertisements and huge money spent for creating attractions , the charm and charisma is experienced no where intourist spots like Patnitop and Sanasar further said, adding that other families having come with him suspended their stay in a huff and left home in a state of desperation, he rued.
The sources told that much ado about nothing policy on the strength of heavy advertisement can temporarily work in politics for attracting voters in election as did BJP do in last parliamentary and state elections but not at all in the tourism sector of State Tourism Department in view sound financial position of tourist to spend and much exposure through internet about various facilities available at different tourist spots in states of the country including J&K. They further said adding that it is imperative and need of the hour that state government should revisit the nutty gritty of its tourism policy and take remedial measures with regard to updating the basic infrastructural development of tourists spots like drinking water points, fully macadamized roads in and around high profile tourists spots, comfortable road connectivity to reach tourist destinations, public convenience facilities, eatery points, parks for children etc. |
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