Tourism Department planning to introduce homestays in Kashmir
ABRAR MATTOO
SRINAGAR, Feb 17: The Directorate of Tourism, Kashmir, has numerous assets including parks, hotels, and restaurants in the valley, but unfortunately, many of them have been dead in terms of activity and serving their purpose.
However, a vision, passion and diligence of an officer to utilize such inert assets is slowly but gradually showing some positive results with a potential to eventually transform the tourism department’s prized possessions into profitable ventures.
According to Ehsan-Ul-Haq Chisti, Dy. Director Estates of the tourism department, there are at least 100 prominent assets with Directorate. Chisti believes that if the same are sublet to youth with a creative vision, not only will these properties create thousands of jobs, but will also boost tourism in the valley. Further, the Directorate’s properties would also be in safe hands, because in many cases, the properties are lying defunct.
One of the most successful fruits of Mr. Chisti’s creative vision is an adventure park named Festival Inn at Rafting Point Pahalgam. The said park was in a dilapidated condition but with this vision to transform the tourism properties by involving creative youth in the collective upliftment of tourism in Kashmir, the park became a bustling point of activity.
Mohammad Yousuf Hakeem, the lessee of the park who was previously an adventure tour operator, refurbished the whole place on lines of adventure offerings and brought vibrancy to it. He introduced high-end swiss cottage tents, barbeque, water zorbing, boating, zip-line, and the other manner of thrilling activities to give the park a whole adventure theme. Apart from bringing life to a dormant tourism asset, the park provides jobs to 30 people at the moment.
Chisti says that it gives him pleasure to see such ventures succeed, and Festival Inn is only one of them. There is Eco-Park in District Baramulla, Tourism Huts at Yousmarg, and various other assets that have yielded positive fruits, and Chisti says that it is all thanks to the creative approach and the encouragement that he has given to the youth with an entrepreneurial mindset.
“We have to approach things creatively and when we sublet any of our assets to youth, we try to encourage their creativity,” Chisti adds. He has also a creative vision for the properties that are directly managed by tourism.
Chisti remarked that the department is planning to transform Zabarwan park into a cherry park, Peerzu Island which is a small restaurant at Lal Chowk, into a literary place, and the restaurant at Hari Parbat into a vantage city viewing spot.
“The Directorate is planning to introduce homestays in the valley. Considering the ecological impact of the hotels at the valley’s ecologically fragile tourist destinations, the introduction of homestays may halt the process of destructive concrete construction,” he added.
“The introduction of homestays at tourist destinations has many benefits. It will help us preserve our destinations, protect the culture, and produce livelihood. We have already started the registration process for homestays and it is a very flawless and easy process. I encourage people to approach the Directorate in this regard and we will try our best to assist them,” Chisti observed further while speaking with Kashmir Despatch.
By contributing at least 6% to the economy, Tourism is the backbone of Kashmir valley. It remains to be seen whether this sector would continue to garner the due attention of the government.
