JK tourism industry has grown considerably: NC

Ruling National Conference today said the tourism industry in Jammu and Kashmir has grown considerably in the last five years and the State government would take more policy initiatives wherever needed.
"The tourism industry in state had grown considerably in the last five years both in terms of new public and private infrastructure as well as the revenue," NC president Farooq Abdullah said in a statement here.
Abdullah, the father of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, said the NC-Congress coalition government under the leadership of Omar had brought a tourism revolution in Jammu and Kashmir by systematically focusing on promoting the state as a premium destination.

"The government has also taken concrete measures to increase the hospitality infrastructure by leaps and bounds in the state," he said.
Welcoming the allied growth in handicrafts and cottage industry sectors due to a boost in tourist inflow into the state, the former union minister said the credit for a sustained growth in tourism industry also goes to the hoteliers and private sector players for creating world-class tourism and hospitality infrastructure in the state and have also generated employment for thousands of unemployed youth.
Abdullah said that inputs will be taken from private sector entities and entrepreneurs to enhance the state's policy when it comes to tourism.

He said the state has produced a budding lot of hard-working and highly capable young entrepreneurs who form the engine of its economic growth and reconstruction.
"The efforts of the private sector especially budding entrepreneurs have received a boost through the state government's policies and this cooperation will continue to benefit the tourism industry in the future as well," he said.