Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar, Advisor to Lieutenant Governor, UT of Jammu & Kashmir, said, “Kashmir is enchanting destination in terms of scenic beauty, environment and nature. I assure you that we will be able to very soon meet most of the shortcomings in terms of infrastructure, accommodation, transport, etc. Almost 1 lakh crore has been invested to develop road infrastructure in J&K and airports will be equipped with night parking facilities which will ease travelling by air.”
He was addressing the seminar ‘FICCI Golf Tourism Summit and Golf Tournament’, organized by FICCI J&K State Council, jointly with the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India; Jammu & Kashmir Tourism (Host UT), Chhattisgarh Tourism (Partner State) and IGTA (Partner Association) from May 27th to 29th in Srinagar and Pahalgam.
Amitabh Jain, Chief Secretary of Chhattisgarh said, “Chhattisgarh is covered by natural Sal forests, wildlife and home to various cultures and traditions. Golf is a sport for passionate people and golf tourism gives the opportunity to not only play golf but also experience the destination. More variety of tourism products should be showcased so that tourists have a more experiences to choose from.”
Rupinder Brar, Additional Director General, Ministry of Tourism, Govt of India said, “It is encouraging to see an increase in tourist flow again. But it is not just about economics. We need to study carrying capacities and do things responsibly for sustainable experiences. For this to happen, there has to be a synergy between all the stakeholders. Jammu & Kashmir has opened up new destinations for tourists to experience. Chhattisgarh is one of the greenest states with rich art and culture. Both destinations offer numerous experiences to the tourist.
Anil Kumar Sahu, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest and Managing Director, Chhattisgarh Tourism Board gave the presentation on Chhattisgarh Tourism highlighting the various tourism products of the state.
Sarmad Hafeez, Secretary, Tourism & Culture, Government of Jammu & Kashmir noted that J&K has seen the best tourist footfalls in the last 5 months.
Irfan Ahmad Guju, Chairman, FICCI Jammu & Kashmir State Council and Managing Director & CEO, IA Multi Venture Pvt Ltd; Rajesh Sharma, Managing Director, Skipper Overseas and Co-Chairman, FICCI J&K State Council also shared their perspective on the tourism potential.
The inaugural session and the panel discussion were moderated by Rajan Sehgal, Member, FICCI Tourism Committee; President, India Golf Tourism Association (IGTA).
The focus of the Panel Discussion was on the diversity of Tourism Products from Golf Tourism, MICE, Medical & Wellness Tourism, Agri-Herbal Tourism, Eco & Ethno Tourism, Sports Tourism to Adventure and Wildlife Tourism, which can be intricately linked together to provide a unique and memorable experiences for domestic and foreign tourists alike with a special focus on Chhattisgarh and Jammu & Kashmir.
The panelists included Sanjay Shukla, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest and Managing Director, C.G. Minor Forest Produce, Government of Chhattisgarh; Stephan Hesselmann, Minister Counsellor, Economic Affairs, German Embassy; Hans-Joerg Hoertnagl, Commercial Counsellor and Trade Commissioner, Austrian Embassy; Javed Humayun Bakshi, Director, SKICC, Nasir Shah, Chairman – IATO Jammu & Kashmir Chapter and MD, Culture & Nature Expeditions Tours & Travels; Mushtaq Burza, Chairman, Ahad Hotels and Resorts and President, J&K Golf Association.
The event was also attended by Diplomats from Germany, Austria as well as leading Corporates and private stakeholders.
