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 Privacy Policy:
1. The World Scenario and Indias Position :
In recent years tourism has emerged as a major economic activity that is employment oriented and earns foreign exchange. Its share in the worlds GDP in 1994-95 was 10% which is more than the world military budgets put together. In global terms, the investment in tourism industry and travel trade accounts for 7% of the total capital investment.
Indias tourism industry has also recorded phenomenal growth. The rate of international arrivals in India in recent years has been to the tune of about 19 lakh arrivals per year. The unprecedented growth in tourism in India has made it the third largest foreign exchange earner after gem and jewellery and ready-made garments. This is not surprising since India possesses a whole range of attractive normally sought by tourists and which includes natural attractions like Iandscapes, scenic beauty, mountains, wildlife, beaches, forts, palaces and havelis. However, in global terms, inspite of such attractions, tourist arrivals in India are a mere 0.30% of the world arrivals. Receipts are similarly low, just a 0.50% of the world receipts.
2. Tourism In The State :
A separate Tourism Department was established to identify and develop the tourism potential in the State. This was followed by the creation of Tourism Corporation of Jammu & Kashmir which was entrusted with the task of undertaking and developing tourism-related commercial activities. The Corporation is presently engaged in a variety of activities such as creation of lodging and boarding facilities for the tourists and other aspects of tourist acilitation such as transportation, packaged tours, wayside catering along the National and State Highways, arranging cultural festivals, organizing exhibitions and producing and distributing maps, posters, brochures and pamphlets. One of the recent tourist attractions introduced by the Corporation in collaboration with the Indian Railways is a special tourist train. However, the Corporation has suffered losses due to a number of organizational constraints. In order to minimize these losses and also to provide better services to the tourists, the Government has undertaken privatisation of some of the commercial property units of the Corporation.
3. Objectives :
The main objective of the States Tourism Policy will be to undertake intensive development of tourism in the State and thereby increase employment opportunities. Identify and develop tourist destinations and related activities. Diversifications of tourism products in order to attract more tourists through a varied consumer choice. Comprehensive development of pilgrimage centres as tourist destinations. Create adequate facilities for budget tourists. Creation of tourism infrastructure so as to preserve handicrafts, folk arts and culture of the state and thereby attract more tourists.
4. Approach and Strategy :
In addition to the facilitation role assigned to itself by the Government in the development of tourism, the Government will adopt the following strategy towards the private sector with the objective of securing its active involvement in leading the development of tourism in the State. The tourism will be given the status of industry in order that the facilities and benefits available to the industry are also made available to tourism projects. A special incentives package will be made available for encouraging new tourism projects as well as expansion of existing tourism units. Government will encourage building effective linkages with the relevant economic agents and agencies such as the national and international tour operators and travel agents of repute, hotel chains and global institutions connected with tourism.
5. Policy Proposals :
5.1 Tourism as Industry :
5.1.1 Like other industrial projects, tourism projects too involve professional management, capital investment, special skills and training. The Government of India and a number of other states have declared tourism as an industry.
5.1.2 Availability of land is a primary requirement of any project. The process of grant of land will be facilitated in urban areas for the projects concerning setting up of hotels, restaurants and apartment hotels etc.
5.1.3 As one of the sets of infrastructural institutions, the State Financial Institutions have made an important contribution in creating conductive environment for industrial entrepreneurs. They will be called upon to do the same for tourism entrepreneurs in terms of making available adequate finance. The range of activities for tourism projects is far larger than just hotels as can be seen from the following illustrative list :
Accommodation Projects :
Hotels :: Resorts :: Motels :: Apartment Hotels :: Heritage Hotels
Food Oriented Projects :
Restaurants :: Wayside Facilities on the State Highways.
Other Tourism - Related Projects :
Amusement Parks and Water Sports :: Handicraft Village Complexes :: Fairs and Festivals. :: Camps and Facilities Encouraging Adventure :: Train Travel Projects
:: Sound and Light Shows :: Museums
Safari Projects :
Ropeways :: Sports/Health Facilities Complexes :: Training Schools for the managerial expertise for Hospitality Industry. :: Golf Courses.
Service Oriented Projects :
Travel Agency :: Tour operation :: Transport Operation :: Linkage with the International Hotel Chains (Franchise)
Human Resources Development (HRD) for Tourism Industry and necessary training facilities. Necessary arrangements will be made to ensure that the State Financial Agencies and the banks attach adequate priority to the financing requirements of tourism projects.
5.2 Redefining the roles of the State and the Market :
The Government proposes to make commercial services available entirely through private sector or in association with it. The States role will primarily focus on strengthening and upgrading existing infrastructure and development of new infrastructure. Reputed consultants will be hired to prepare area development master plans/feasibility studies in respect of important tourist destinations and areas of tourism potential.
Tourism Corporation of jammu & kashmir will assume a catalytic role focused on acting as clearing house of information, production and distribution of promotional literature, policy advice etc. The Tourism Corporation will assist entrepreneurs and agencies in tourism sector and will try to help alleviate their difficulties particularly vis a vis the Government and its agencies.
5.3 Perspective Planning :
Perspective plan for tourism development will be prepared in consultation with experts.
Jammu has a preponderance of pilgrimage centers as in some other states. The goddess herself took up permanent abode in a cave in the Trikuta Mountains by metamorphosing herself in to three pindis (Rock). This holy shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi is unique as it contains the holiest of holy Pindis manifesting the Mata in her three forms - Maha Kali, Maha Lakshmi and Maha Saraswati - each form representing a particular attribute.
Just like the variety in culture and religious customs, one can very well make out the distinction in the music of the three regions of J&K. If one is a keen music enthusiast then check out the instruments that accompany the musicals in various ceremonies and festivals of the three regions. Even with the differences, the harmonious way of conducting a musical performance is something that will make one call out "play on". Lakhs of pilgrims visit these places every year.
These places are visited not only by the devotees from all over the country but also by non-resident Indians and travellers especially from the eastern part of the world. Necessary accommodation facilities and related services will be created on these sites. For ensuring orderly and planned development of pilgrimage centres.
5.4 Human Resources Development :
Human Resources Development is an important aspect of service industries. Tourists depend upon travel agents, guides and hence trained manpower is a sine qua non of tourism industry. On the basis of available statistics, training facilities can be safely said to be totally inadequate. If trained manpower is not available locally, the objective of local employment will not be achieved. Hotel Management course, courses meant for guides, caterer and other supervisory and non-supervisory staff of hotel will be introduced in Industrial Training Institutes (I.T.Is). Approved hotel associations and private entrepreneurs will be encouraged to create new training facilities by making available land to them for this purpose and by giving other appropriate incentives. The Government will consider setting up a Hotel Management Training Institute at the State level preferably in private sector.
6. Feedback and Monitoring
To make the New Tourism Policy result oriented, implementation will be monitored by a High Powered Committee under the Chairmanship of Chief Secretary.
A Management Information System will be set up to assist the Committee to make available information on various aspects of implementation on a continuous basis. The Committee will also review the policy from time to time.
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