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CM Omar Abdullah said his government is committed to encouraging people to visit Kashmir, offering options from destination weddings to luxury stays, all with guaranteed safety
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee with her J&K counterpart Omar Abdullah during their meeting at the state secretariat Nabanna, in Howrah on July 10. (Image: PTI)
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday extended an invitation to his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee to visit his state, while also promising safety and luxury to tourists who decide to return to the Valley.
Thanking Banerjee for her support after the Pahalgam terror attack in April, Abdullah said his government is committed to encouraging people to visit Kashmir, offering options from destination weddings to luxury stays, all with guaranteed safety.
“After the Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor, Didi sent a team to Poonch and Rajouri to meet the affected families and provide necessary help. I am thankful to her,” Abdullah said during a visit to Kolkata, where he also met Banerjee. “I want to extend an invitation to Didi to visit J&K and, in the future, I hope Bengal and J&K can work together for the betterment of trade, tourism, and our overall relations. It is our duty to provide full support and safety to tourists from Bengal.”
Tourism in Kashmir faced a major setback after the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives, but efforts are on to revive the industry. Abdullah is travelling across states to encourage people to choose Kashmir as their preferred tourist destination once again.
He spent a day in Kolkata, taking part at the ‘Travel and Tourism Fair’ to promote Kashmir. At least 50 representatives accompanied him to support the ‘Chalo Kashmir’ campaign.
“Earlier, tourism in Pahalgam and the rest of Jammu and Kashmir pretty much took care of itself. There was no need for active promotion. In fact, we had almost reached a point where we had more tourists than we could handle, and we were participating in various trade fairs to showcase Jammu and Kashmir,” he said at an event.
He added: “I have not come here to market an empty Jammu and Kashmir. By no stretch of the imagination is it empty today. Tourism has started to pick up again, and we are here to boost that. We are assuring tourists that their safety will be ensured.”
Despite concerns over safety, the chief minister assured Bengali tourists of their protection in every possible way. Pinky, representing a travel and tourism agency, welcomed everyone and promised the best hospitality during Durga Puja.
“We welcome you all. With Durga Puja coming up, we promise the best hospitality. Those who carried out the attack wanted to destroy our business, but things are picking up again. Kashmir is Jannat (paradise) and you must come,” she told News18.
Faizan, another travel agent, expressed optimism noting that Bengal is a significant market for Kashmir and they are dedicated to regaining people’s confidence.
“We are hopeful. Bengal is one of our biggest markets, and I am sure we will give our best to regain people’s confidence. All forms of tourism are important to us,” he told News18.
It is evident that Abdullah and his team are focused on reviving tourism in Kashmir. After Kolkata, they plan to visit Ahmedabad and other cities to continue promoting the region.
The ‘Chalo Kashmir’ campaign, also known as ‘Let’s Visit J&K’ was launched by the Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI). It is aimed at reviving tourism in Kashmir, particularly after the Pahalgam attack. The campaign seeks to reassure travellers and promote Kashmir as a safe and welcoming destination.
Anjani Kumar Dhanuka, chairman of the Eastern Region of TAAI, noted the emotional connection between West Bengal and Kashmir with it being the second most loved destination after Darjeeling.
“Let me highlight a key insight – for the people of West Bengal, Kashmir ranks as the second most loved destination after Darjeeling. That is the emotional connection we share. Before the unfortunate incident in Pahalgam, travel volumes from West Bengal to Kashmir were steadily growing. Although I cannot mention exact numbers now, we are confident that this roadshow and continued support from the government will revive and even surpass those figures in the near future,” Dhanuka said.
Kamalika Sengupta, Editor, Digital East of News18, is a multilingual journalist with 16 years of experience in covering the northeast, with specialisation in politics and defence. She has won UNICEF Laadli Awar…Read More
Kamalika Sengupta, Editor, Digital East of News18, is a multilingual journalist with 16 years of experience in covering the northeast, with specialisation in politics and defence. She has won UNICEF Laadli Awar… Read More
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