J&K Forest department eyes on ecotourism Promotion

Jammu| : Eying on promotion of Ecotourism Promotion, Forest Department hosted one week training for its staff manning Forests huts in Hospitality Trades including housekeeping, catering and front office management.
The Forest Huts will be made available to the visitors through online booking.
The training was held in collaboration with Food Craft Institute, Nagrota Jammu. As many as 25 hospitality staff of Forest huts from different districts of Jammu province participated in the training programme.
The training was inaugurated by Dr B Balaji CCF, Planning and Project and K. Ramesh Kumar Chief Conservator of Forest, Jammu.
While delivering the key note address, Dr Balaji CCF Planning and Projects highlighted the role of Forest Department in the promotion of Eco-tourism initiatives by way of opening of Forest Huts for the public and training of hospitality staff in various trades to cater to the demand of the nature lover tourists visiting the various forest areas. He further reiterated that as an outreach activity to improve public participation in forest conservation, it will improve the livelihood generation of forest dependent communities.
K. Ramesh Kumar, Chief Conservator of Forests reiterated the need for skill up-gradation of the front line staff in the area of public outreach and added that eco tourism initiatives of Forest Department of Jammu and Kashmir will provide perfect opportunities to involve the local in better management of Forest areas. He further advised the participant trainees to use the training modules to upgrade the skill sets in the area of housekeeping, catering and front office management.
Principal, Food Craft Institute, Nagrota, Jyoti Bhati elaborated features of one week training programme aimed at imparting basic skill set to hospitality staff of Forest Department.
The basic training programme aims at covering culinary skills including confectionaries and other local delicacies, basic aspects of catering, housekeeping and management of tourists in the front office. The training session will be followed by practical assessment towards the end of the training programme.
The inaugural session was attended by B. Mohandaas Conservator of Forests, East Circle, Jammu and Sunil Singh Divisional Forest Officer, Urban Forestry Jammu.