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| Restive Kashmir has no tourists at present | | Rs 5 cr spent on tourism promotion in 2015 | | Early Times Report
srinagar, Sept 3: What could be seen as the draining out of around Rs 5 crore spent on official visit to various parts of the world and tourism promotion via media during 2015, the tourism industry has been badly hit by the ongoing turmoil in Kashmir with zero tourism activity at present in the Valley.
Official figures reveal that government has spent Rs 1.4750 crore on tours of tourism officials for different parts of the world on account of air tickets for participation in national and international travel events. Similarly, government has spent an amount of Rs.312.98 lakh for advertisements in print and electronic media for promotion of tourism during 2015.
These advertisements have been made in local, national and international magazines, television commercials in local and national TV channels, radio spots etc for wide publicity of tourism in the state and tell the people throughout the world that they are safe here.
Such a huge amount is spent annually on the officials of the tourism department for promotion of the tourism so that more and more tourist are motivated to visit the state especially to the Valley.
But the ongoing turmoil has dashed all the hopes of the tourism players as tourism industry has been badly hit this year. "We spent over five crore in 2015 but what did we achieve.Nothing. It seems that there is wastage of money on the promotion of tourism in the Valley when uncertainty is always there that some vested interests elements can create trouble every year," an official of tourism department said. "What is the fun of spending such a huge amount when tourists presence is zero in the Valley."
He said government should look into it whether such a huge amount should be spent on tourism promotion every year which yields nothing by the turmoil except trips for tourism officials to various parts of the world and the country.
"Tourism is subsequent to peace, the only thing in tourism is when there is assurance of peaceful environment, As the conditions in the Valley turned worse all the tourists have left," he said.
He added that last year, "lakhs of tourists had visited valley but this year, the crisis and the current situation is a huge setback for the sector."
"We received 10 lakh tourists last year but unfortunately this year we have 100 percent loss in the sector," he added.
He said the tourists prefer other destinations because of the prevailing situation in the Valley. |
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