Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday said the government’s tourism promotion drives would hold little value if popular destinations remained closed to visitors.
Speaking to reporters in Gulmarg, Omar acknowledged that the recent incident in Pahalgam “should not have happened,” but noted that several corrective measures had since been implemented. “What happened in Pahalgam was unfortunate. Since then, multiple steps have been taken. But unless closed destinations are reopened, our tourism promotion will be meaningless. If they remain shut, what is the point of spending resources on promotion?” he said, according to Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS).
The Chief Minister stressed that J&K’s economy relies heavily on tourism and warned that closing destinations creates a negative image of the Valley.
Omar also voiced concern over restrictions that stopped political leaders from offering condolences in some cases.
Tourism stakeholders in Kashmir have repeatedly raised concerns about limited access to several resorts, cautioning that it affects both domestic and international tourist inflow. (Agencies)
