Secretary Tourism, Rigzin Sampheal Thursday said the department is framing a comprehensive tourism policy to institutionalize tourism sector.Secretary Tourism was speaking as a chief guest at 10th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Travel Agents Association of Kashmir here in Srinagar.The AGM was attended by travel agents, hoteliers and houseboat owners.“We need to have a comprehensive tourism policy, update Tourist Trade Act, besides having a separate adventure tourism policy to institutionalize the sector,” he said.He said the department will go for aggressive marketing outside the State in an effort to dilute the negative perception about Kashmir not being safe among the travelers.He said that visitors in Kashmir are overwhelmed with the hospitality from locals and the service providers.Rigzin Sampheal said the department would also promote J&K through an aggressive advertising campaign and also through road shows in major cities in India.Secretary Tourism also announced that the department would organise Kashmir Festival during which they would invite national media besides the travel agents from across India who would see themselves how tourists are enjoying and holidaying here freely.
Speaking on the occasion Director Tourism Kashmir Tasaduq Jeelani urged industry players to provide better services to the tourists to make their holidays memorable.He said J&K is the only State in India, which has zero crime record against foreign tourists, and the place was safer than any other place for women travellers.He said the department is also planning to organize skill development courses for the services providers, especially in adventure tourism so that tourists enjoy top of the line service.President TAAK Ashfaq Sidiq delivered welcome address while as Secretary General TAAK Farooq Kuthoo read out AGM report.On the occasion, TAAK also gave away Manzoor Siddiq Award in the memory of their late President.Prominent travel agent Late Nazir A Bakshi was given Manzoor Sidiq Award for the year 2017 posthumously while as noted hotelier G M Dug received the award for the year 2018. President’s Award was conferred to Malik Hamidullah Bazaz.TAAK also gave away awards to its members for their promotional activities during its roadshow at Rajkot in 2017 and at Ambassadors Meet in New Delhi in 2018 . Deputy Directors Masrat Hashmi and Reyaz Ahmad Shah were also present on the occasion.