J&K govt to involve private players in developing resorts

In an effort to resurrect the state's badly-damaged tourism industry, the Jammu & Kashmir government has decided to rope in private players to develop and run some prominent resorts and identified 52 places to be converted into "tourist villages".

The state government is also working to develop the infrastructure, including construction of roads and hotels, and ensure vital supplies like electricity, realising the immense importance of these in encouraging tourism.

"We have decided to reframe the tourism policy," J&K Deputy Chief Minister Muzaffar Hussain Baig told a select group of reporters here.

As part of the new policy, the state government has decided to develop some prominent resorts like Yusmarg and Sonmarg through participation of private players, said Baig, who holds the portfolio of tourism.

"We are willing to give these resorts to private players to be developed and run by them in the entirety. But they should have local partners," he said.

The minister said the resorts would be allocated on the basis of auction. "The idea is to develop these resorts as self-satisfied tourist destinations to be managed by professionals," Baig said.

The government is also keen on encouraging "village tourism", and in this regard has identified 52 places to be developed. Emphasis is also being given to promote health, culture and adventure tourism.

The state government is also open to the idea of regional co-operation in tourism involving various states, Baig said.

The government is, however, aware of the poor and inadequate infrastructure existing at present, and, to correct the situation, has laid emphasis on developing it.

"We are going to improve road connectivity to various tourist destinations," the deputy chief minister said, adding effort was also on for the construction of big hotels to meet the needs in view of growing number of tourists.

Attention is also being given to improve power situation and in this regard avenues are explored to ensure dependable and perennial supplies.

Emphasising that tourism was bound to pick up in the state as the relations between India and Pakistan show improvement, baig regretted, however, that the advisories issued by various countries cautioning against travel to J&K was affecting as a dampener on attracting foreign visitors.

"Development cannot wait till all violence ends," he said, pointing out that tourism has a dispersal effect and createed employment across various sectors.