Kashmir Calling: Eye on 3 Cr tourists this year, BJP leader urges Investors to invest in hospitality sector of Valley, says BJP leader Altaf Thakur
Says Valley emerging as best wedding destination; In 2023, 2.12 Cr tourists including 65000 foreigners visited J&K, high time for investors to set up five star hotels, lodges, guest houses in the region; move can generate livelihood opportunities for locals, Kashmir needs quality hotels to accommodate huge tourist influx.
Srinagar, Jan 15: Senior BJP leader and party’s J&K spokesman Altaf Thakur reached out to the Indian investors to invest in the hospitality sector of Kashmir in view the expectations that this year tourist arrivals will touch 3 Crore including foreign guests. He urged the investors to invest in building five star hotels, lodges, guest houses across Kashmir not just for huge returns but to generate livelihood opportunities for the locals of Kashmir and Jammu regions given the fact that Kashmir is emerging as the wedding destination.
Thakur said dozens of destination weddings have taken place in Srinagar, Pahalgam and Gulmarg tourist resorts, even as the world-famous Dal Lake remains the hot favourite. He said with the improvement in security situation and prevailing peaceful environment, Kashmir has been attracting many couples planning to make their destination weddings a memorable one.
In a statement issued here, the BJP leader Thakur said that Kashmir has tremendous natural beauty and magnificence. In the past few months, destination weddings have picked up in a big way. We have had some major destination weddings in Kashmir and one of the weddings took place at the famous Dal Lake. I think this will take the tourism potential of Kashmir Valley to the next level. This can happen in all the divisions of Jammu as well as Kashmir, ” he said, adding that with this thing picking up, investors have a great opportunity to invest in hospitality sector and come up with five star hotels, guest houses, lodges and other accommodations for the visitors including foreign guests, whose number has considerably increased since G-20 meeting in Srinagar in May last year.
Thakur hailed the Department of Tourism for opening properties like the Royal Spring Golf Course in Srinagar for tourists to host their weddings. “The department is also helping the wedding planners with all that is required to make these weddings memorable experiences for the guests. In the past two years, around 150 destination weddings were hosted in Kashmir which is a good sign rather than a welcome development. This opens doors for the Indian investors to make quick investments in the hospitality sector and spread the hotel chains across the Valley,” he said.
Thakur said that the weather in Kashmir also plays an important role, especially during the summer months, making it an ideal destination for outdoor weddings. “The mild temperatures and clear skies create a comfortable environment for outdoor ceremonies and festivities. I am hopeful to see 3 Crore tourist arrivals this year but at the same I would love to see investors coming up with big ventures for accommodation of guests,” Thakur said.
