J&K govt eyes Rs 2000 Cr investment in tourism sector

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir government is eyeing an investment of Rs 2000 crore per year in the tourism sector to provide jobs to at least 50,000 people.

As per the economic survey released by the Jammu and Kashmir government, the administration has set the target to attract an average investment target of Rs 2000 crore per year for the next 5 years.

“The tourism policy has been prepared with the objective of positioning tourism as a major engine of economic growth and harnessing its direct and multiplier effects for employment and poverty eradication in an environmentally sustainable manner. The policy aims to generate employment for approximately 50,000 people per year,” it said.

The survey said that the government has chalked out a strategy to position the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir as the leading global tourist destination by 2025.

“Tourism Department endeavors to make tourism in UT of Jammu and Kashmir an enriching experience for the tourists, increase livelihood opportunities of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The aim is also to position Jammu and Kashmir as a leading global destination by the year 2025 by making it a destination that is natural in its environs, global in standards, modern in outlook, traditional in hospitality, mystical in sensibilities, and entertaining in experience”, Economic Survey said.

It said that a roadmap has been drawn to promote the tourism industry as a leading industry in Jammu and Kashmir as well.

“A roadmap has been drawn to achieve the objectives/vision in the tourism sector and enough attention is being paid towards the development of tourism infrastructure, development of lakes and wetlands, new Tourist Circuits, and seasonal tourism. An equal focus is being laid on the development/ promotion of off-beat destinations, improved accessibility to the destinations and marketing/ promotional tools, human resources development and capacity enhancement, sustainable tourism and carrying capacity, Public Private Partnership for the development of tourism infrastructure, and safety and security management, etc”, the Economic Survey said.

The economic survey said that the government is developing the infrastructure by enhancing accommodation for tourists in the union territory.

“J&K has a total room capacity of 58,100 with a bed capacity of 1,24,196 (including government and private sector) and home-stays are being encouraged and tented accommodations are being developed to add the capacity,” it said.

It said the steps taken by the Tourism Department have started yielding positive results. “The highest ever arrival of tourists to Kashmir during 2022 was about 27 lakh as compared to the previous highest of 13 lakh in 2016,” it said.

Pertinently, this year Rs 447 crore has been allocated to the tourism sector to develop J&K as a modern and smart tourist destination.

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha also said under ‘Tourism Mission’ initiative, 75 new destinations, 75 Sufi/religious sites, 75 new cultural, and heritage sites, and 75 new tracks are being developed in the UT to open up new economic avenues for fulfilling the aspirations of the people.