The Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah, has said the UT government is working with the external affairs ministry to help water down travel advisories issued by foreign countries, which have made it “all but impossible” for foreign tourists to visit the UT.
During a session at the 18th Annual Tourism Summit 2024 organised by the CII, Abdullah said the disturbances witnessed by the region from the past 30-35 years have not allowed J&K to focus on international tourism.
He said it is all because the travel advisories that exist make it “all but impossible” for international travellers to visit the place.
He said, “We are working with the Ministry of External Affairs to at least help in the watering down of these advisories as the region is keen on hosting international high-spending tourists.”
Reflecting on the recent success of the tourism industry in Kashmir, Omar said that in the last few years, the tourism sector has witnessed unprecedented growth in volume because “volumes have enabled us to project a sense of normalcy here.”
“In the short term, I worry that these numbers will spike because the train will start coming directly into the valley from next year and then the volumes will rise.
But then at some point, we will have to move from volume to value, and that’s when making ourselves attractive for foreign tourists is a way to go,” he said.
It's worth mentioning that amid a spike in terror-related cases and ongoing disturbances in both J&K and the North East, several countries had issued travel advisories to the tourists visiting Jammu and Kashmir due to ongoing security concerns, despite a zero crime rate against tourists.
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