The Biz Reporter
The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI) President, Mr. Javid Ahmad Tenga, along with the President of the Kashmir Hotel and Restaurant Owners Association, Mr. Gowher Maqbool, today met Dr. Ashish Chandra Verma, Additional Chief Secretary and Financial Commissioner (Tourism), Government of Jammu & Kashmir at Civil Secretariat Jammu to discuss pressing issues affecting the tourism sector in the Union Territory.
During the interaction, Mr. Javid Tenga informed the Additional Chief Secretary that the tourism industry has suffered a severe setback following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which led to widespread cancellations and a sharp fall in tourist footfall.
He said the downturn has caused significant financial stress for stakeholders across the sector, including hoteliers, houseboat owners, tour operators, transporters, tourist guides, and thousands of daily-wage earners who are directly dependent on tourism for their livelihood.
Tourism promotion remained the central focus of the discussions. President KCCI strongly pitched for an intensive, well-coordinated pan-India and international promotional campaign to rebuild confidence among travellers and protect the forthcoming tourism seasons. He stressed that timely and visible promotional efforts are crucial to reversing the current slowdown.
The issue of renewal of registrations of hotels, houseboats, and guest houses was discussed at length. Mr. Tenga pointed out that delays, lack of clarity, and procedural complexities in the renewal process are creating serious operational hurdles for hospitality units. He sought the introduction of a single-window, digitized, and time-bound mechanism for renewals, with special emphasis on houseboats, described as an iconic and integral part of Kashmir’s tourism identity.
The KCCI President also raised serious concern over notices being issued by the Pollution Control Committee to hotels and hospitality units at a time when the sector is already under immense stress.
The meeting also highlighted the need for a clearly defined annual calendar for tourism promotion events, noting that stakeholders are often informed at the last moment, restricting effective participation. Other concerns included infrastructure constraints in congested areas such as Lal Chowk, fire safety compliance under Smart City initiatives, improved airport facilitation, waiver of municipal and allied fees during the downturn, and the urgent requirement of Sewage Treatment Plants in city hotel clusters.
KCCI president requested the Additional Chief Secretary to visit these hotel clusters to assess the situation on the ground.
Dr. Ashish Chandra Verma gave a patient hearing and assured that the issues raised would be examined with due consideration, reiterating the government’s commitment to the revival of tourism and improvement of the business environment in Jammu & Kashmir.
