Apni Party asks government to revive winter tourism in J&K

Srinagar: Apni Party Senior Vice President Ghulam Hassan Mir on Friday stressed the pro-active measures to revive and promote winter tourism in Jammu and Kashmir.In a statement issued here, Mir said that there are lakhs of families directly or indirectly associated with the tourism industry especially in Kashmir valley who have suffered a huge blow to their livelihood since August last year.He emphasized on the government to take measures in order to re-create an environment that will regenerate and increment the economic avenues for such families whose livelihood solely depends on the tourism sector. Mir urged Lt., Governor Manoj Sinha, to take stock and order for administrative measures that can promote winter tourism in the world-famous tourist destinations across Kashmir valley.“It is not only about world-famous tourist resorts like Gulmarag, Pahalgam and Sonamarg, but in Jammu and Kashmir there are a number of other unexplored tourist destinations wherein tourism activities especially related to winter games can be promoted so as to address the distressed economic conditions of the families associated with this sector,” he said.Mir added, “This way the government will not only cater to the livelihood of thousands of unemployed youth but it can also reboot the closed hotel industry, houseboat units and business of Shikarwals in the valley.Apni Party Senior Vice President also urged the Union Ministry of Tourism to take steps that can revive the economically shattered tourism trade in J&K.“The Union Government should take notice of the dismal scenario in which the tourism industry has been operating in Kashmir valley for decades, especially for the last over one year. Also this sector has suffered large-scale losses due to the prevailing pandemic. Amid such a situation, the government of India must come up with an exclusive economic package that will boost and revive winter tourism in J&K,” Mir opined.