Tourism is not new to Kashmir but sustainable tourism is surely a new norm of economics in Kashmir. The record count of 1.89 crore tourist arrivals is surely encouraging for sustainable tourism in Jammu & Kashmir and the idea of promoting 300 plus new tourist destinations surely goes well with the idea and broader agenda of sustainable tourism, in Jammu & Kashmir. For all practical purposes the success of sustainable tourism lies in the development of tourist infrastructure not only at the new tourist destination likely to be identified by the Government in coming months but also at the tourist destinations developed decades ago in both Kashmir Valley and as well as Jammu division. Tourism like anywhere else in the world class tourist destinations is a major source of employment and income generation in Jammu & Kashmir which unfortunately had a very bad reputation of increasing joblessness due to slowdown in the development and promotion of it’s natural resources during decades of popular rule till the fag end of 2018 . Till the time Government identifies 300 plus more tourists destinations in Jammu & Kashmir for the purposes of boosting sustainable tourism it would be much better for the Government to immediately focus on the development of tourist infrastructure for the purposes of improving the services and facilities for the tourists at old tourist destinations both in Kashmir Valley and as well as Jammu division. In fact developing tourist infrastructure for the purposes of improving tourist services and facilities at old tourist destination would also by all probabilities translate the idea of sustainable tourism into a reality.
By all standards of understandabilities drawing a road map for promoting eco-friendly tourism, conserving natural resources and preserving local culture and heritage could be the first big challenge for the Government to carry forward it’s idea and agenda of sustainable tourism. Irrefutable fact is that Government itself is aware of the fact social and economic development of Jammu & Kashmir lies in the growth and expansion of tourism.
While focusing on changing the ideas of sustainable tourism it is imperative for the Government to shun conventional methods of developing tourist infrastructure at both old tourist places and as well as new tourist destinations likely to be identified by the Government in coming few months as announced by Secretary Tourism recently. Since the eco-tourism, adventure tourism, and cultural tourism are the new areas of investment in tourism, the Government would most show greater interest in promoting eco-tourism , adventure tourism and cultural tourism at both old tourist destinations and as well as the new tourist places likely to be identified by the Government in coming months. So by all standards of understandabilities drawing a road map for promoting eco-friendly tourism, conserving natural resources and preserving local culture and heritage could be the first big challenge for the Government to carry forward it’s idea and agenda of sustainable tourism. Irrefutable fact is that Government itself is aware of the fact social and economic development of Jammu & Kashmir lies in the growth and expansion of tourism.
