45% more tourists from S-E Asia, Bangladesh

M Aamir Khan
Tribune News Service
Srinagar, October 17

Even as the tourism sector is struggling to bounce back, the inflow of tourists from the Southeast Asian countries and Bangladesh has witnessed around 45 per cent increase this year. The trend is bound to bring cheer to the sector that is on the revival path after taking a hit in the wake of the September 2014 floods and the 2016 unrest.

“There is an overall 45 per cent increase in the tourist flow from countries like Malaysia, Thailand and Bangladesh. Last year, we received over 7,000 tourists from Malaysia and Thailand but this year we have already received 11,000 tourists,” Travel Agents Society of Kashmir (TASK) president Mir Anwar told The Tribune.

He said the number of tourists from Bangladesh too had increased considerably amid an overall increase in the arrival of foreign visitors. “We have already received 41,000 foreigners this year as compared to 36,000 the previous year… 5,000 tourists from Bangladesh have already arrived as compared to 2,000 last year,” the TASK president said.

While the tourism department along with private stakeholders had over the past few years embarked on a rigorous marketing drive across the country besides a few foreign countries, the authorities had especially targeted Southeast Asian countries and Bangladesh from where the footfalls have witnessed an increase.

The tourism department had also participated in an event in Russia recently to woo tourists from the region. However, inflow of domestic tourists continues to remain moderate even as the private stakeholders are demanding stepping up of the marketing drive besides improvement in overall tourism infrastructure.

Anwar said in a meeting with Secretary Tourism Rigzin Samphel on Tuesday, the TASK sought ‘massive marketing through Incredible India promotional campaign’ besides upgradation of public infrastructure at tourism resorts and heritage sites.

Samphel said the government was on the job for improving the overall tourism infrastructure. “For the development of tourism infrastructure, Rs 2,000 crore has been earmarked under Prime Minister’s Development Plan (PMDP) projects. The department is already executing Rs 400 crore at various tourist destinations of the state,” he said.

He said the tourism department would again visit Southeast Asian countries and promote state’s tourism products there.

Rise in footfall 

The number of tourists from Bangladesh too had increased considerably amid an overall increase in the arrival of foreign visitors. “We have already received 41,000 foreigners this year as compared to 36,000 the previous year… 5,000 tourists from Bangladesh have already arrived as compared to 2,000 last year,” said Travel Agents Society of Kashmir president Mir Anwar.