Tourism Promotion Futile If Destinations Remain Closed: Omar

2025-09-18 03:21:35

(MENAFN- Kashmir Observer)
J&K CM Omar Abdullah

Srinagar- Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday assured tourism stakeholders that he will take up their concerns with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and push for the reopening of several tourist destinations currently closed for visitors.

Addressing the 17th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Travel Agents Association of Kashmir (TAAK) at the Gulmarg Convention Centre, Omar said the closure of major tourist spots defeats the purpose of promotion.

“On one hand we promote tourism, but on the other, many destinations remain closed. When half of Kashmir is shut for tourism, promotion becomes meaningless. What do we tell the tourists - that you can ride the Gondola but the ATV grounds are closed, or that you can visit Pahalgam but not Aru and Betab Valley?” he asked.

He said closing popular destinations creates a negative perception of Kashmir's overall situation.“We must come on one page with the Central Government, otherwise our efforts at promotion will not succeed,” he added.

The chief minister said reopening the destinations will build confidence and help attract more tourists.

The chief minister said that when tourists get to know that certain destinations are closed, it creates a negative perception about the overall situation in Kashmir.

MENAFN18092025000215011059ID1110081902

Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.