Kashmir is endowed with breath-taking mountains, lush green forests and crystal-clear lakes which aptly wins it the title of ‘Heaven on Earth’. During the early 1950’s, people in Kashmir got more involved with the prospective Tourism industry as the travellers from the country and even abroad started to pour in in large numbers. The tourism sector was booming.
However, with the beginning of political instability in Jammu and Kashmir, this wave of tourism affluence underwent a momentarily stop but with time it revived to achieve further heights.
Regrettably, this new age of Tourism revival lacked that magic which was there to be seen in decades before. The prime reason being mediocrity and naivety. The lack of being abreast with the rest of tourist destinations in the country led to an economic decay which eventually hit people involved with this sector real hard.
The minimal and discounted infrastructure made less appeal to the tourists who would have died to see snow-clad Kashmir once in their lives. Besides, the apathetic approach of the government towards reviving the industry added more gloom to it.
The famous Shikari owners became autorickshaw drivers, houseboats lay desolate and the Dal Lake and Wular were allowed to die a silent death as the pollutants and city waste choked them up.
Now as the world is grappling with the disaster of Covid-19 pandemic, the tourism sector has been going through its worst ever condition. There is no hope for the people associated with this industry as following requisite SOP’s is imperative. But if their families have to die of hunger nobody is there to care for it.
Currently, a resuscitation instead of revival is needed if we genuinely are concerned with regards to saving our Tourism sector. The Government must give perks and relaxations in paying up of bank debts to the people associated with this sector. The infrastructure also needs to be upgraded so that more people feel comfortable and at ease while visiting the valley. If only this much is achieved a new Tourism bloom is certain.
