Tag Archives: Jammu and Kashmir

Growth of India’s hospitality sector is expected to normalise at 6-8 per cent in the current financial year, said ICRA while downgrading the sectoral outlook to stable from positive. It also stated that Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) to India are expected to remain muted in the next few months in the aftermath of the terror attack at Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir.

IATO has taken a delegation of 22 members to Pahalgam & Srinagar, as part of its ‘Rubaroo with J&K’ initiative with an idea to revive tourism in the valley after the unfortunate terror attack some time back. In fact, LG, J&K has announced the reopening of many destinations in Pahalgam.

To boost tourism revival in Jammu and Kashmir, TAAI launched its ‘Rally for Valley’ campaign, showcasing solidarity and support for the region’s travel industry. Sunil Kumar, President, TAAI, said that the campaign will run for the next three months, till the end of September, with region-wide efforts to regain traveller confidence and strengthen tourism in Kashmir.

“The Indian Tourist Transporters Association is planning a get-together in Jammu and Kashmir’s Srinagar, where over 100 participants from Delhi are expected to attend,” shared Bobby KS Sawhney, Hony. Secretary, ITTA. The idea is to rebuild confidence in the region and contribute to reviving tourism in the Valley, he added.

Sunil Kumar, President, TAAI, said, “We are planning to do our convention in the Q3 or Q4 of this year.” Speaking about the travel and tourism situation of Jammu and Kashmir, he noted that they invested so much in promoting the UT in Kashmir during 2018, which gave it a premier tourism status. He regretted that the current developments have diluted the returns that came in as a result of years of effort.

Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Tourism Minister, GoI, said they will do their best to “minimise” the dent on tourism in Jammu and Kashmir in the wake of the attack. “I am in touch with everybody in J&K, and so is my office. Secretary, Tourism is taking regular updates from the UT’s Tourism Secretary and Chief Secretary”, he added.

During OTM in Mumbai, Omar Abdullah, Chief Minister, J&K emphasised that tourism is a top priority for the state government, and they are planning to position Jammu and Kashmir as a global tourism hotspot. He said, “Our participation in events like OTM is a step toward achieving this vision.”

During an event in Jammu & Kashmir, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister, Tourism, emphasised, “Tourism will be one of the major driving forces in taking the country’s economy to third from fifth globally.” With rise in incomes, Indians are travelling more frequently, he said.

Commences sale for daily flights connecting Srinagar and Mumbai Akasa Air, India’s fastest-growing airline, announced the addition of Srinagar as the 20th destination to its expanding network. Starting 1st March 2024, the airline will operate daily flights between the financial capital – Mumbai and Paradise on Earth – Srinagar catering to the growing air travel demand between these two cities. This network expansion is a significant milestone as it marks the airline’s entry into the state of Jammu and Kashmir, strengthening its domestic presence in the northern part of the country. Travellers can book flights starting February 2, 2024, on Akasa Air’s website www.akasaair.com, Android and iOS app or through multiple leading OTAs. Srinagar, often called a ‘Paradise on Earth’, has witnessed a consistent increase in travel demand over the past years. The launch of operations on the route will cater to a blend of business and leisure travellers and will bolster connectivity, trade, and tourism in the region. With this launch, Akasa Air seamlessly connects Mumbai to 13 cities across India. Commenting on the announcement, Praveen Iyer, Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer, Akasa Air, said, “We are thrilled to announce operations from Srinagar – our 20th destination in the network. Known for its picturesque mountains and enchanting valleys, Srinagar has witnessed an uptick in domestic and international tourism and our flight launch will further boost economic activity in the region. Akasa Air is in growth mode and has achieved a milestone of adding 20 destinations to our network in just 17 months of operations, becoming the fastest-growing airline in the history of Indian aviation.” Commenting on the launch, Belson Coutinho, Co-Founder and Chief Marketing & Experience officer, Akasa Air …

Speaking at the third G20 Tourism Working Group (TWG) meeting in Srinagar, G20 Sherpa, Amitabh Kant said, “PM Narendra Modi believes that tourism has the biggest multiplier effect being the biggest job creator and this G20 meeting will lead to more job creation in Jammu and Kashmir.