“The quality of tourist facilities at the tourist places can rise or reduce the tourist footfall in any part of the world and same holds good for tourism industry in Jammu & Kashmir.”
Over four lakh visitors at Tulip garden this year is undoubtedly a new record and keeping in view the major role of the tulip season in the attraction of tourists annually the tourist footfall is likely to surge more unprecedentedly in this year’s summer tourist season beginning within a week or two. With summer tourist season likely to commence within a week or two the attention of the tourist stakeholders is likely to shift now to tourist activities at the hilly resorts like Gulmarg, Sonamarg , Pahalgam besides many more tourist places. As numbers of tourist arrivals and bookings at hotels have already tripled, the soaring occupancy rates at hotels are giving indications of a further surge in tourist footfall in Kashmir this year. The bookings and the surging occupancy rates at the hotels show that the visitor count in first two months this year could be a new record. However finally the quality of tourist facilities at the tourist places can rise or reduce the tourist footfall in any part of the world and same holds good for tourism industry in Jammu & Kashmir. So tourist services hold the key to surge in tourist footfall in Kashmir like any other all season tourist destination of the world. Interestingly the onus of improving quality of tourist facilities lies equally on both tourist stakeholders and as well as the tourism department in Jammu & Kashmir.
“While the inalienable parts of the quality tourist facilities are also the roads and transport services, it is for the Government to upgrade road infrastructure and improve the transport services for the satisfaction of the tourists. Since surge in tourist footfall has been also triggered by the collaborations between luxury resorts, tour operators, and local artisans, the boost to such activities with increasing focus on quality tourist facilities besides road infrastructure and transport services could most probably further the causes of further surge in tourist footfall in the upcoming summer tourist season.”
This time when tourist season is about to commence in Kashmir within a week or two, the hospitality services demand and deserve urgent attention of the tourist stakeholders particularly travel guides, transport operators and hoteliers. Since experiences of decades have shown that exceptional hospitality services are critical to tourist attractions in Jammu & Kashmir like many all season tourist destinations of the world, it is for both the tourist stakeholders and as well as the Tourism department to increase focus on quality of tourist facilities. While the inalienable parts of the quality tourist facilities are also the roads and transport services, it is for the Government to upgrade road infrastructure and improve the transport services for the satisfaction of the tourists. Since surge in tourist footfall has been also triggered by the collaborations between luxury resorts, tour operators, and local artisans, the boost to such activities with increasing focus on quality tourist facilities besides road infrastructure and transport services could most probably further the causes of further surge in tourist footfall in the upcoming summer tourist season.
