The tourism department’s call “Kashmir Chalo”, i.e., “march to Kashmir” being similar to the calls for protests called by separatist in yesteryear against the militant and civilian killings is a confusing slogan and obviously an attempt to appease the leadership of the political party in power at the centre directly overseeing the affairs of the Jammu & Kashmir Government. Quite simple the tourism department could have used the words “Kashmir Calling” to appeal tourists to visit Kashmir for sightseeing and entertainment at valley’s world famous tourist hot spots. Revival of tourism in Kashmir is a big challenge after shut down of over six months from August 5,2019 till March last year in the backdrop of Central Government’s controversial constitutional moves over erstwhile Jammu & Kashmir state followed by nine months of COVID-19 lockdown imposed in March till October last year. Toursim industry is to be lifted from 2 years of suspension to a revival mode and as such the tourism department has to come out with a road map for bringing back the tourism industry to it’s full glory. Raising slogans like “Kashmir Chalo” obviously to appease top helmsmen in Delhi or Srinagar won’t revive the tourism in Kashmir but would reduce the campaign to this slogan only. Without addressing the pressing issues concerning revival of the business of hoteliers, houseboat owners, taxi drivers, shikarawallas and tour and travel operators the government talks about the idea of a film city proposed to be set up to woo Bollywood back to its favourite locations in Kashmir . The workability of such measures without the involvement of local stakeholders pressing going through worst phase of financial crisis won’t lift Kashmir tourism from a suspension to a revival mode. For revival of tourism the restoration of the business of service providers is a pre-requisite. Tourist arrivals even if boosted by tourism department’s new slogan “Kashmir Chalo” won’t make tourist season a success without the revival of businesses of tourist and travel operators.
Ill advised by the bureaucrats of myopic vision the Jammu & Kashmir Government is taking a sadistic pleasing pleasure in painting a political over it’s every decision concerning economic future of the local trading communities. Withdrawing the slogan “ Kashmir Chalo” by a slogan like “ Kashmir calling” would be more ideal and less confusing as otherwise the dream of a good tourist season may not come true this year also
Had the court intervention not put the implementation of Roshni Act on a suspension mode, the government’s decisions of taking over the control of hotels and guest houses from the local hoteliers allotted land under Roshni Act would have shut even this year’s tourist season much before it’s commencement. Ill advised by the bureaucrats of myopic vision the Jammu & Kashmir Government is taking a sadistic pleasing pleasure in painting a political over it’s every decision concerning economic future of the local trading communities. Withdrawing the slogan “ Kashmir Chalo” by a slogan like “ Kashmir calling” would be more ideal and less confusing as otherwise the dream of a good tourist season may not come true this year also
