The sufferings witnessed during high intensity pandemic periods by the people in Jammu & Kashmir like people in most of the states and union territories of the country are unlikely to die down in few months as the loss of livelihoods during the pandemic period also brought down the income of the people and consequently it also changed the life style of the people in Jammu & Kashmir like people of several states and union territories of the country. Though government has extended the benefits of several poverty alleviation programs to ensure accessibility of people to basic amenities of life for some more months but yet again the restoration of livelihood opportunities is as worrying today as it was in the middle of the high intensity pandemic periods. So by all standards of understandabilities people are unlikely to return to the days of pre-covid normality till the livelihood opportunities of the people are not only restored but new employment opportunities are also generated equally in public and private sectors. Though a good start of tourist season this year has generated hopes of better livelihoods for the tourism and travel operators of Jammu & Kashmir particularly Kashmir valley but all depends on tourist arrivals in coming months this year. If media reports are to be believed a decline in foreign tourist arrivals has been noticed this year so for. Obviously showcasing Kashmir’s famed tourist destinations outside the country is the only way to attract foreign tourists to valley.
An increase in the foreign tourist arrivals if made possible through tourist attraction events at international tourist destinations outside the country would probably generate more employment opportunities for the youth of Jammu & Kashmir in the coming summer months. A good tourist season can not only lead to restoration of livelihood opportunities to the days of pre-covid normality but would also generate new employment opportunities for youth amid increasing joblessness in Jammu & Kashmir.
During last six months events to showcase Kashmir destinations were held in different metropolitan cities of the country and resultantly an unprecedented increase in the domestic tourist arrivals has been noticed in last couple of months particularly after the launch of tulip and spring festivals in Srinagar and few others tourist places in valley. Situation demands more focus on foreign tourist attractions than the domestic tourist attractions as such a strategy would increase the income of tourist and travel operators in Jammu & Kashmir. An increase in the foreign tourist arrivals if made possible through tourist attraction events at international tourist destinations outside the country would probably generate more employment opportunities for the youth of Jammu & Kashmir in the coming summer months. A good tourist season can not only lead to restoration of livelihood opportunities to the days of pre-covid normality but would also generate new employment opportunities for youth amid increasing joblessness in Jammu & Kashmir.
