Friday, 17 May, 2024
By: Yash Gupte
The meetings are being held at Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar. Image Source: IANS
This is the largest international event held in the region since the abrogation of article 370 of the Indian constitution which granted a special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.
'Gar firdaus bar-rue zamin ast, hamin asto, hamin asto, hamin ast,’ these were the words of the famous poet Amir Khusro when he had visited the Kashmir valley for the first time. This words literally translate to- ‘If there is a heaven on the earth, it is here, it is here. Despite the violence and unrest in the Kashmir valley for more than four decades, it doesn’t fail to attract a large number of tourists (foreign as well as Indian) every year. Lakhs of people travel to Kashmir to witness the heaven on earth. And this is one of the reasons that New Delhi decided to host the G20 Tourism Working Group (TWG) meeting in Srinagar, the summer capital from May 22 to May 24. The meetings are being held at Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar. This is the largest international event held in the region since the abrogation of article 370 of the Indian constitution which granted a special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.
India saw G20 as a perfect opportunity to reiterate that Kashmir is an integral and inalienable part of India and it holds all the rights and decision making powers in this regard. Therefore, considering the tourism in Kashmir and the opportunity to let G20 members know that Kashmir is an inalienable part of the union of India. There is no doubt that the massive G20 tourism summit in Srinagar has attracted the interest of the international media. On May 22, the first day of the G20 tourism summit got underway despite China and Pakistan's boycott.
China, on the other hand, has said that it will not go, citing its adamant objection to "holding any kind of G20 meetings in disputed territory" Kashmir is fully claimed by both India and Pakistan, yet only sections of it are under their control. Two wars and a smaller struggle over the area have previously been waged between the nuclear-armed rivals. Pakistan, a non G20 member had criticised India’s decision to hold meetings in Kashmir, terming it an ‘irresponsible’ move.
Since there have been more attacks in the area this year by alleged extremists, security officials have informed the media that they are taking precautions to thwart any attempts to disrupt the G20 summit. According to reports, elite security troops have been stationed in Kashmir to offer ground-to-air security cover. These forces include marine commandos, National Security Guards, Border Security Force, and police personnel. The Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC), where the gathering will take place, and the Dal Lake in Srinagar have both seen an increase in security.
India’ former foreign secretary and G20 chief coordinator, Harshvardhan Shringla said, “If you have to do a working group on tourism in India, we have to do it in Srinagar. There is no option.” He added that the meeting has the broader objectives to present India’s rich and diverse cultural identity to the world and to promote tourism potential of India to the world. “We have tried to bring in the sustainable tourism, eco-tourism, and adventure tourism themes that are relevant to J&K,” he said. Around 300 new tourist destinations on various tracks are being promoted in Jammu and Kashmir to accommodate the burgeoning tourism industry in the region, said J&K Tourism Secretary Syed Abid Rashid.
The Government of India has also been taking a number of measures to promote tourism in Jammu and Kashmir. Industrial Policy 2021 of J&K Government recognizes Tourism sector as an industry so as to make the investment in Tourism sector eligible for incentives under the said policy. Various infrastructure developmental projects under UT sector Capex Budget and Centrally sponsored scheme PMDP/PRASAD with a total allocation of Rs.683.45 crores have been taken up during the last 03 years which has facilitated up-gradation of various pilgrimage sites and works at tourist destinations across the UT of J&K in order to boost the tourism related activities and economy in the UT of J&K.
Source: Ministry of Tourism
The number of tourists visiting the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir fell sharply in 2020 due to the covid-19 pandemic. But the year 2022 witnessed the highest influx of tourists as 1,86,17,740 Indian tourists visited J&K.
The UT of J&K has experienced a steady stream of tourists throughout the year, mostly high-end visitors who value receiving high-quality services. The local population, particularly those living in remote areas of the UT, has profited directly and indirectly from this high tourist influx, which has also led to significant investment in the tourism industry, including hotels, guest houses, houseboats, home stays, and other tourism-related services. Other industries that are only loosely related to tourism, such as handicrafts, handloom, transportation, the food and beverage industry, etc., have also seen an increase in investment.
Source: Ministry of Tourism
The number of foreign tourists visiting Jammu and Kashmir has been declining since 2019 as only 5,317 foreign tourists visited J&K in 2020 and the number further declined to 1,650 in 2021. But 2022 witnessed a massive influx of tourists from foreign countries as 19,987 foreign tourists visited Kashmir. In order to attract international tourists to the UT of J&K, Indian government has implemented a number of measures. The UT of J&K has experienced a steady stream of tourists throughout the year, mostly high-end visitors who value receiving high-quality services. The local population, even those living in remote areas of the UT, has profited both directly and indirectly from this huge number of tourists.
As part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav to celebrate 75 years of independence, the J&K Tourist Department has identified 75 off-the-beaten-path locations. This has expanded the potential for rural tourism and is anticipated to benefit indigenous groups and stakeholders because the government is encouraging homestays, tent accommodations, as well as local cuisine, art, and culture, which will benefit from the tourism sector to filter down to the grassroots level., encouraging e local experiential tourism.
Source: Ministry of Tourism
India has a lot of potential for tourism as it has large number of tourist places and UNESCO world heritage sites. The above chart shows that India’s tourism industry has been severely hit by the covid-19 pandemic as there has been a significant decline in the foreign exchange earnings through tourism after 2020. India is one of the top nations in terms of international tourist expenditure because of its diversified geography and array of cultures, each of which offers its own unique experiences. With a combined contribution to the GDP of India's economy of over US$ 178 billion, travel and tourism are two of the country's greatest sectors.
Budget 2023–2024 allots US$ 2.1 billion to the Ministry of Tourism since the industry offers a lot of opportunity for young people to start their own businesses and find employment. The Swadesh Darshan Scheme has been given a budgetary investment of $170.85 million under the Union Budget for 2023–24. As of March 31, 2022, 68 locations have been chosen in 30 States and UTs for development under the PRASHAD Scheme.
From an expected US$ 75 billion in FY20, the Indian travel market is predicted to grow to US$ 125 billion by FY27. Due to improved airport facilities and increased access to passports, the estimated $20 billion Indian airline travel market is expected to quadruple in size by FY27. International visitors are anticipated to total 30.5 billion by 2028, bringing in more than $59 billion in revenue. Post-pandemic, growth is anticipated to be driven by domestic travellers.
