G20: Hopes rekindle for lifting Kashmir-specific travel advisories

SRINAGAR:  Hopes have rekindled for the lifting of travel advisories as Kashmir gears up to host the G20 Tourism Working Group meeting later this month.

The third G20 Tourism Working Group meeting will be held at Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Center (SKICC) from May 22 to 24.

Welcoming the G20 meeting, Kashmir Inc. hoped that the West and other countries will revisit the travel advisories.

“We hope that G20 will bring good omen. We expect that Kashmir-specific advisories will be lifted by the countries,” Javid Tenga, President, Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) told The Kashmir Monitor.

Several Western countries had issued travel advisors to their citizens not to visit Kashmir after six foreign tourists– two British, Keith Mangan and Paul Wells, two Americans John Childs and Donald Hutchings, German, Dirk Hasert; and Norwegian, Hans Christian Ostro – were abducted by Al Faran, a front organization of Harkat-ul-Mujhadeen, from Aru-Pahalgam in 1995.

“We recently met an Australian ambassador who was on a visit to Kashmir. We discussed the advisory issue in detail. He assured us that he will write to his government about this issue. We hope they will consider our plea and lift the advisory,” said Tenga.

Before militancy, Kashmir was the favorite jaunt for foreign tourists. But after the advisories, foreign footfalls dropped considerably which hit the tourism industry hard.

“Tourism is a key sector for Jammu and Kashmir. At one point in time, houseboats at Nigeen Lake were packed with foreigners. Now it is not so. We hope the G20 summit will create a feel-good factor and send a positive message. It can prompt Europe and North America to lift the travel advisories,” Professor Nissar Ali, renowned economist, told The Kashmir Monitor. Official figures reveal that 1.88 crore tourists visited J&K last year. Of them, 26.73 lakh tourists visited Kashmir. “Tourism accounts for around 7 percent of our SGDP. But it has the potential to reach 20 percent. The only thing is that we need investment. G20 can play a key role,” said Prof Ali.