Underlining commitment of the government to develop tourist destinations in Jammu province, Minister of State for Tourism, Education, Technical Education, Culture, Horticulture, Floriculture and Parks Priya Sethi said that efforts are afoot to promote tourism sector in Jammu division and special focus is being laid on developing Jammu as in independent tourism destination.Interacting with different stakeholders of the tourism industry here today, the Minister called upon them to work in unison with the government to exploit to the fullest vast tourism potential of the region.“There is huge tourism potential in the region and need joint efforts of different stakeholders in exploiting and tapping the tourism potential , saying that it would a long way in promoting the tourism industry in the region, she maintained.While responding to the issues raised by the representatives of the tourism industry, Ms. Priya said that the government is committed to bring the city of temples on the tourism map of the country and all necessary steps needed for the same would be taken in a time bound manner. She directed the authorities of tourism department to take up immediate steps on the highlighted issues. She also called for time bound redressal of the genuine problems which can help in boosting tourist influx in the region.The Minister assured the representatives of the hotel industry that the recent order of single window clearance for the registration would be made friendly to the industry and necessary instructions would be issued to the concerned for ensuring time bound clearance of registration cases.
“My personally feel that all stakeholders of the tourism industry should hold frequent meetings so that the government should get the proper feedback from other partners in tourism sector,” she added.
Ms. Priya directed the tourism department to prepare new brochures and information booklets with updated information about different tourist destinations in the region, adding that inputs from private stakeholders should also be incorporated in the booklets.Calling upon the hotel industry to benchmark standards for attracting tourists, the Minister said that better facilities at affordable rates can be a big factor for the visiting tourists and the hotel industry should announce special packages at different resorts. She said that good hotels have come up in the region and to improve occupancy all the stakeholders have to join hands.The Minister said that the government is developing different tourist attraction points in the winter capital and its adjoining areas.“Gondola project of Bagh-e-Bahu-Maha Maya temple, Mubarak Mandi Heritage Complex, Beautification of Tawi Bank, Artificial Lake, border tourism, pilgrim tourism are some projects on which fast -track work is underway,” she added.Joint Director, Tourism, General Manager, JKTDC, Deputy Directors, Tourism and other officers of the department, besides Vice-President, Association of Jammu Travel Agent (AJTA), President, Hotel and Restaurant Association, Katra Rakesh Wazir, Chairman, Tourist Federation of Jammu Rajesh Gupta, President, Jammu Association of Tour Operators Amrik Singh, President Travel Agents Association of Jammu Jatinder Koul, President, Jammu Province Tourist Taxi Federation Anchal Singh Manhas, President, Airport Taxi Driver Association S. Gurdeep Singh, Secretary, Jammu Tawi Golf Course Col. (Retd.) B.B.S Bali and other office bearers of the associations were present in the interaction meeting.