Srinagar, May 22: All Parties Sikh Coordination Committee (APSCC) today stated that there is a need to implement flexible visa policy so that people from outside countries may visit sites of religious significance without trouble. This comes on the heels of the tourist working group conference of G-20 nations in Srinagar.
Srinagar is honoured to welcome representatives from 20 countries, said APSCC Chairman Jagmohan Singh Raina in a release. He said that it was crucial to provide hassle-free visa services for international visitors to the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir because of the various holy sites located there.
There is a great potential for religious tourism in the union regions of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. “Religious sites like Jamia Masjid in Srinagar, Dargah Hazratbal in Srinagar, Gurdwara Chatti Padshahi in Srinagar, Mata Vaishno Devi in Katra-Jammu, Kheer Bhawani in Tulmulla-Ganderbal, and Gumpas in Ladakh have widespread appeal but have not been promoted as international religious tourism destinations,” added Raina.
According to the APSCC Chairman, if a more open visa policy is implemented, then people from all over the world would be able to visit these holy sites. The governments of Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and China, he added, could serve as a model since they have relaxed visa restrictions for visitors to sacred sites including Makkah, Madina, Gurdwara Nankana Sahib, and Kailash Parbat.
According to Raina, the tourist industry in Jammu and Kashmir may benefit greatly from the implementation of master planning. He said that previous administrations had ignored this crucial part of the tourist industry and that the current one should make amends.
Gulmarg and Pahalgam, two important tourist destinations, have been practically destroyed by the avarice of a few. Many shopping centres and high-rises have been built in Srinagar, distorting the skyline. To help the young jobless find work, Raina advocates for the development of tourism destinations and clusters.
