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Decimation of the Tourism Organisation and the Product |
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| Kashmir’s Tourism Organisation had started as a small Visitors Bureau even before Independence. The valley was supposed to be the best resort for British Army Officers and their families this side of Suez. However, the departure of the British took away the major clientele. Due to entry permit system prevalent in the state, the mass domestic tourism did not start for quite sometime. It was only after the permit system was abolished that tourists in large numbers started visiting the state. It was during this period that the Tourist Reception Centre was built and a full fledged Tourism Organisation headed by Director Tourism was set up. Over the years the Department of Tourism evolved into a very well knit and comprehensive organisation. Tourist Offices were opened in all Tourist Resorts and six offices were opened outside the state in different metros. It became the most prestigious and important Government Department throughout the country. Subsequently other states woke up to the possibilities of tourism in their area and started setting up similar organisations by copying the Kashmir’s Tourism Organisation. Still they were not able to come up to the standards and professionalism of Kashmir Tourism. The state was always considered a leader in this sector and even for the foreign tourists visiting India Kashmir was the most sought after destination. Because of India being a winter destination for Europe and America, the numbers of foreign tourists did not increase appreciably as they had to cross the burning plains to reach the cool climate of the valley which had mostly remained a summer destination. Tourism to Kashmir passed through many ups and downs due to political turmoil and conflict situation in the region. However, it always bounced back after each set back. This was due the organisational ability and the dedication of the Tourism Officers who were supposed to be the best in the country. The organisation was headed by stalwarts like Sardar Amar Singh, Mir Nassar Ullah, D.N.Kachru, and others with a dynamic vision and organisational capability. Because of the importance of this sector to State’s Economy, the officers posted on this prestigious position of Director Tourism were carefully selected by the Government and the officer had a senior ranking in the bureaucracy. Outbreak of militancy in 1990 completely disrupted the tourism scenario in Kashmir. Not only did the tourist figures decrease drastically but the Organisation itself got relegated to background. There was dramatic fall in tourist arrivals to the valley. From an all time high figure of 7.22 lakhs it came down to mere 6,000 and most of these were diplomats and journalists. However, the unprecedented fall in the valley was compensated by increase in pilgrim traffic to Jammu and foreign arrivals in Ladakh. Being an integrated organisation on the State level, the Tourism Department was able to switch over its major concentration to these two destinations. In spite of the worst conditions, the State as a whole did not go out of total circulation. The revival of traffic to the valley began in 1996 and by the beginning of 1999 the figures were crossing a lakh of tourist arrivals. Unfortunately, the Kargil War gave another jolt to the reviving tourism scenario. There were still further set backs due to building of tension on Indo-Pak border. However, the beginning of the Peace Process between the two neighbours with ceasefire on the Line of Control signalled a new beginning for the tourism in the state. It was expected that the Tourism Organisation will be able to go whole hog for promotion and development of the tourism product of the state. Unfortunately this did not happen. On the contrary the Tourism Organisation started getting decimated with the product itself going haywire. The first act of the coalition Government was to disintegrate the process of development. Till that time both the promotion and development of tourism was being taken up on an integrated manner through a centralised organisation on the basis of the potential of respective areas. However, the coalition Government introduced an element of politics into tourism scenario and the development got tagged to political constituencies by the creation of about 21 Development Authorities totally unconnected with each other. Director General Tourism who was supposed to plan, implement, and monitor the overall Development Plan of Tourism in the State was shorn of all authority over these virtual “Union Territories”. He was left with the supervision of Tourist Centres and Tourist Offices. The mysterious burning down of the historical Tourist Centre of Srinagar did not even leave him a place to sit. The Development Authorities started functioning independently on their own with their individual agendas. Instead of developing the tourism product according to a plan depending upon potential, accessibility and infrastructure of a particular area, ad hoc measures on the whims and fancies of the local politician and his sycophants became the new mantra for development. Amusement Parks in mountain resorts, artificial ponds with fountains on high altitude natural meadows became the new “Tourism Attractions”. No body gave a thought to the stark fact that people did not visit these places for such artificial attractions but for the natural beauty and wonderful environment. In one case, the setting up of a tourist village was achieved by painting all the local houses green. Mountain huts located on a natural slope were surrounded by a wooden fence blocking the whole view. Wood coloured iron fencing was installed along a road going into a beautiful glacier valley thereby spoiling the wild and natural beauty of the area! It is not known what is happening in the jurisdiction of all other Authorities? Unfortunately most of the Authorities are headed by non-professionals who do not have any idea about the Tourism Development as it is understood and practised in this modern technological age. As the integration at the development level has already been done away with, now even the promotional and supervisory level is also proposed to be disintegrated. According to press reports it is proposed to have independent Tourism Heads for the two provinces. They have forgotten Ladakh. They would need a separate head for this area also. This may be the first step towards division of the state on ethnic lines! It would be interesting to see how individual heads would promote their areas outside the State? It would not be a bad idea to create a number of offices outside the state to project and promote individual destinations/regions and not the State as a whole thereby paving way for the final solution of the “Kashmir Problem” itself. For facilitation of incoming tourists it would be an interesting exercise to see these people going from the jurisdiction of one region to the other. No State in the Country or any other Tourism Destination in the world has totally independent authorities for tourism promotion and development of separate areas or regions. It seems the people at the political helm in the tourism sector do not have the time to go into these finer details and are going by the ad hoc advice of the followers on. It is more painful in view of the fact that the state is headed by a person who has been overseeing the development of tourism in the whole country for a long time! Even the famous Gajendragadkar Commission constituted to suggest ways and means to remove regional anomalies had pointed out that it is not possible to divide certain departments like Forest, Industries, Tourism, and Information. These have to function as an integrated unit for the whole State. It seems the vested interests from within and outside bent upon disintegrating the State have become active again. Their first target has been the promising Tourism Potential of the State which instead of being developed in an integrated and planned manner is being thrown into confusion and controversies. The recent swirling controversy about the sale of resorts to outsiders which has far reaching political implications seems to be part of this campaign. On one hand it is given out that the Tourism is the backbone of our Economy while on the other hand its development is being taken in a very casual and unprofessional manner. The result has been the decimation of both the Tourism Organisation as well as the Product. It is time for the industry players to wake up and save this important sector before it suffers irreparable damage. |
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