Srinagar, June 20: After a lengthy jinx, foreign tourists have begun to rekindle their age-old relationship with Kashmir, their favourite tourist destination. This year, between January and June 19, more than 15,000 foreign tourists have visited the Valley, and that number is expected to increase significantly by the end of the year.
In an exclusive interview with the Kashmir News Observer, a high-ranking Tourism department official who wished to remain anonymous stated, “From January to June 19, 15161 foreign tourists have visited the Valley this year, and the number is expected to increase annually.” According to official government data, 4028 foreign tourists visited Kashmir between January and June of last year.
The official stated that the highly successful G-20 Tourism Working group meeting is likely to transform the J&K tourism industry. “The majesty and grandeur of J&K, along with its tenderness and hospitality, were displayed on a global scale during the G20 summit. This will attract an increasing number of foreign tourists to J&K, he said.
The G-20 working group meeting held in Srinagar from May 22 to 25 is expected to yield positive results, as more foreign tourists are anticipated to arrive in Kashmir in the coming months, i.e. July, August, and September. An official stated, “We also anticipate a significant influx of foreign tourists in October, November, and December of this year.”
He stated that there is no denying the fact that many nations are about to rescind the travel warnings prohibiting their citizens from visiting Kashmir. Since representatives of the countries that prohibit their citizens from travelling to Kashmir were present at the G-20 meetings in Srinagar, there is every reason to believe that all travel warnings will be lifted in the near future, he said.
A houseboat proprietor on Dal Lake reported that he is currently hosting a group of foreign travellers, with two more groups expected to arrive by June 25. “The majority of international visitors to Kashmir are from South-East Asian nations. Indeed, this is a positive indication,” he said.
A group of Singaporean travellers lodging in a houseboat on Dal Lake remarked that Kashmir is indeed a gorgeous location on earth, and they are thrilled by the region’s natural beauty. We were mesmerised by the natural grandeur and cascading cascades in numerous uncharted locations. There is solace, serenity, and natural rehabilitation for the mind,” the group members said with a delicate smile, adding, “in the coming months, more travellers from Singapore and Malaysia are expected to visit Kashmir.”
