HYDERABAD : In a bid to attract Telangana tourists, Jammu and Kashmir Tourism department on Tuesday launched a grand roadshow in Hyderabad. After the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, followed by the Covid-induced lockdown in the country, Jammu and Kashmir’s tourism sector had been hit badly. However, J&K hotel and tour associations, who were in the city on Tuesday claim that the situation has improved drastically and J&K likely to see more footfall of tourists in future.
Stating that Telangana which is among the top three states in the country which gets highest tourist footfall to J&K, Javed Bakshi, director, Sheri Kashmir International Convention Complex (SKICC) told Express, that in the last few years there has been a sizeable increase in the tourists’ footfall from Telangana. “In the last few years there has been a more than 10 percent increase in tourists footfall from Telangana, which saw a slump due to Covid but we are hoping to see an upward trajectory in number soon.” He added that Telangana and Jammu have a lot in common, and tourists from the state would only feel at home visiting Jammu and Kashmir, which is rightly called Heaven on Earth.
Working in the paradise
Since the Covid pandemic, with many people working-from-home, Workation which combines business with leisure has become a new concept. “The tourism sector in Jammu and Kashmir is digitally advanced. We would encourage tourists, especially from the IT sector of the city to visit the state and work while enjoying the scenic beauty,” said Baskhi. “While taking proper precautions for Covid, several luxury and budget-friendly travel companies in J&K are providing workstation facilities to their tourists,” told a tourism agency owner, who was present at the event.
Increase in the demand
Speaking to the Express, several city-based-travel agencies informed that demand for Jammu and Kashmir among the tourists had increased. “We are witnessing a huge increase in the demand for tour packages from the city to J&K not just in one season but throughout the year. While the devout are enquiring about Vaishno Devi and Amarnath Shrine packages, young tourists are going for eco-tourism including river rafting, paragliding, Jhelum cruises and luxury stays,”said Siraj Ansari, president of TOAT.