Tourism in Kashmir was reduced to arrival of visitors from different states and union territories of the country this year as the flight operations from other countries remained suspended for the second consecutive year due to covid-19 restrictions both within the country and abroad also. With the Covid-19 spread reducing significantly in most parts of the country and several countries dropping hints about the resumption of flight operations sooner than later, the arrival of foreign tourists this winter is likely to be a reality in Jammu & Kashmir. Since winter tourism is as important as is the summer tourism in Kashmir, the local tourist and travel operators are desperately waiting for the resumption of flight operations from other countries to India. Though the arrival of foreign tourists would be conditional in view of the low intensity wave of covid -19 pandemic in the country as the vaccination and Covid tests would be most likely the only two strongest precautionary measures for preventing the spread of the virus from other countries but the tourist arrivals from foreign countries by all standards of understandabilities would be even then a good beginning for the resumption of foreign tourism in Jammu & Kashmir. The resumption of the suspended flight operations won’t only boost winter tourism in Kashmir but it would more significantly boost the aviation sector badly hit during two long years of pandemic in the country. By all standards of understandabilities the resumption of flight operations won’t only lead to arrivals of foreign tourists in different parts of the country including Jammu & Kashmir but it would also prompt foreign investors to visit different parts of the country for the purposes of exploring possibilities of fresh investment in different sectors of the economy. Even Jammu & Kashmir could become an attraction for the foreign investors keeping in view the fact that Jammu & Kashmir Government has already announced a new industrial investment policy for potential investors in different industrial sectors.
Since upgrading the infrastructural facilities at the famed tourist destinations of Kashmir is the only way to attract huge tourist arrivals from the other countries during the forthcoming winter season, it is for the tourism department to fast track the process of upgrading the infrastructural facilities at world class tourist destinations in Kashmir valley. It is time for the tourism department to take actions for restoring the stressed tourist industry in Kashmir which once used to be the backbone of the economy of erstwhile Jammu & Kashmir state.
In the low intensity covid scenario luring foreign tourists to Kashmir ahead of the commencement of winter tourism after three months from now would be the biggest challenge for Tourism Department in Jammu & Kashmir. Since upgrading the infrastructural facilities at the famed tourist destinations of Kashmir is the only way to attract huge tourist arrivals from the other countries during the forthcoming winter season, it is for the tourism department to fast track the process of upgrading the infrastructural facilities at world class tourist destinations in Kashmir valley. It is time for the tourism department to take actions for restoring the stressed tourist industry in Kashmir which once used to be the backbone of the economy of erstwhile Jammu & Kashmir state.
