Tag Archives: Kashmir

“Kashmir region has experienced a surge in tourism, with footfall increasing by over 15% since the end of the Covid-19 pandemic”, said, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Tourism Minister, Govt of India, at the 25th Annual National Convention of the Tourist Guides Federation of India, held at the SKICC in Srinagar while emphasising the robust growth in domestic tourism across India.

Experience the rich flavors of Kashmir without leaving the heart of New Delhi as JW Marriott New Delhi proudly presents “A Flavorful Heritage: The Cuisine of Kashmir” at K3 – New Delhi’s Food Theatre. Immerse yourself in a 10-day gastronomic extravaganza from November 17th to 26th, where every bite unveils the rich tapestry of Kashmiri cuisine against the backdrop of the luxurious JW Marriott ambiance. As the vibrant hues of autumn grace Delhi, K3 invites you to relish the warmth of Kashmiri hospitality, offering a mouthwatering selection of traditional dishes that echo the snow-capped peaks and charming valleys of the ‘Paradise on Earth.’ Enjoy the delightful Delhi Autumn by savouring the famous Nadru Kebab and Kabargah in the cosy setting of JW Marriott New Delhi. Plant-based enthusiasts can cherish the creamy Chaman Qaliya, delectable Dum Aloo and hearty Haakh, while the meat connoisseur can indulge in the tender Rogan Josh, flavoursome Chicken Yakhni, and succulent Muji Gaad. To compliment these dishes, the enticing menu also includes aromatic Subuz Pulao, Mujj Chetin and Doyn Chetin. Conclude your journey with a cup of soul-soothing Kahwa and the exquisite Kong Phirni, a perfect finale to your comprehensive Kashmiri culinary experience. The menu caters to diverse palates and dietary preferences, ensuring each dish is not only a treat for the taste buds but also a comfort to the soul. Preserving the age-old techniques and authentic flavours of Kashmiri Pandit cooking, the food will be cooked in mustard oil without onion, garlic, and tomato. It will feature a rich assortment of aromatic herbs and spices, including asafoetida, fennel seed powder, saffron, dried ginger and dried fruits. To make the evening more engaging and entertaining, a …

Zahoor Qari, CEO, Airlinks Tour & Travels, Kashmir, has said that many hotels, owing to increase in tourist footfall in Kashmir, have hiked their rates extraordinarily, despite not offering services and value for that kind of money. Hence, this puts the tour operators and travel agents in question and jeopardizes their image in front of the clients.

Kashmir recorded the highest tourist footfall of decade with a total of 1,27,605 tourists in November in 2021. According to J&K govt officials, the number is more than all the figures in the month in the past seven years. As per officials, only 6327 tourists visited Kashmir in November 2020 which is a lot lesser than the present number of nearly 1,27,000. Dr GN Itoo, Director, Kashmir Tourism, revealed that almost 1,27,000 tourists visited in November and almost 93,000 tourists visited in October and that it is the first time in the past seven years that Kashmir recorded such large numbers of tourists in these two months.

Ministry of Tourism is holding a mega tourism promotion event in Srinagar ‘Tapping the Potential of Kashmir: Another Day in Paradise’ from 11th-13th April. A high-level delegation, consisting of over 100 members from MOT, headed by Arvind Singh, Secretary Tourism, is visiting the Valley for a 4-day visit. On landing in the UT for the event, Singh inaugurated a 60 ft Shikara at Srinagar Airport. The delegation will hold meetings with the J&K administration, senior officers from the tourism department, as well as the travel and hospitality sector.

Arvind Singh, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, attended the 5th Skiing Graduation ceremony at Indian Institute of Skiing and Mountaineering, in Gulmarg, Kashmir, where he addressed the gathering and said that sustainable tourism is the only way to expand the sector and bring expected change in Jammu & Kashmir, revealed a tweet from MOT. He also inspected the facility and encouraged the students.

Tour operators from Maharashtra have started the ‘Unlock Kashmir Tourism Campaign’ with support from the Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Department, for which a 70-member delegation of travel operators from Mumbai visited Kashmir. Since the tourism industry in J&K took was shaken post COVID, tourism department of J&K supported this initiative and invited the trade and media to promote tourism sector in the valley.

In 2018, Kashmir reportedly witnessed the lowest ever tourist footfall in the last seven years, recording only 8.5 lakh domestic and foreign tourists visiting the valley in total. This was a decline of about 23 per cent from 2017, which saw around 11 lakh tourists visitors to Kashmir. Zahoor Qari, Chairman—TAAI, J&K Chapter, said that the figures are by and far correct, and blamed the decline to negative media coverage about the state on electronic channels. “The decline in the number of tourists to Kashmir is because of the uncertainty projected by electronic media around the country. The smallest of incidents in the remotest part of the state is being highlighted in the media, which is not even close to the tourist sites in the valley. This works against the tourism in the state.” Despite actively participating in multiple travel trade shows around the country and abroad, the state witnessed the low visitor numbers. The tourism department also undertook many promotional initiatives in 2018 to boost the numbers. Qari said, “We even arranged a Fam trip for the media to Kashmir, but that also did not work. Instead, there was negative coverage on mainstream channels about Kashmir.”

Cox & Kings announced the ‘Free Fly to Kashmir’ packages in its bid to promote Kashmir Tourism under its domestic brand ‘Bharat Deko’. The initiative offers free airfare ex New Delhi, thus making the package attractive. ‘Glorious Kashmir’ and ‘Kashmir Delight’ are the two packages announced for travellers. The special packages were formally launched by Mahmood Ahmad Shah, Director Tourism, Kashmir along with Yusuf Poonawala, Senior Vice President, Cox & Kings at the Nigeen Club, Srinagar. The packages that span for a week have been specially crafted to offer a holistic Kashmir experience with price starting from only Rs 22,099. The Free Fly tours will allow the tourists to explore Kashmir’s nature, local culture and history. Sonamarg, Thajwas Glacier, Pahalgam, Awantisvamin and Betaab Valley are a few of the many sites that have been included in the tour. Poonawala said,”Kashmir is on the priority list of travellers. This offer will further boost tourist influx into Kashmir.” Bharat Deko has also created theme-based videos besides other marketing materials to promote the snow-state of India. The package offer is valid for travel period January 1 to June 30, 2018.

After a really slow ending to 2016 for tourism in Jammu & Kashmir, J&K Tourism is determined to make 2017 a success. Mahmood A. Shah, Director of Tourism, Kashmir, was recently in Mumbai to meet the tour operators and ensure them that the state is now completely safe and secure. He said, “Our focus this year will only be to spread the word across the country and the world about the safety and security for tourists in J&K. We have planned a 20-city roadshow where we will meet the travel and tour operators and talk to them about the security measures we have taken in our state. We have also undertaken upgradation of tourism infrastructure in Kashmir.” The tourism  board recently organised a familiarisation tour to J&K for some members of the Maharashtra Tour Organisers Association (MTOA).