Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Dec 5: The High Commissioner of Cyprus, Demetrios A. Theophylactou called on the Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti here today.
During the meeting, the two discussed areas of mutual interest, particularly sectors like tourism, handicrafts, solar energy, heritage conservation and agriculture.
The High Commissioner informed the Chief Minister of the expertise available with his country in these areas and offered its sharing with the State under framework of bilateral agreements. He also informed of various advances made by his country in harnessing solar energy and climate change and offered to share it for the development of resource base in the State.
The Chief Minister evinced keen interest in the heritage conservation, handicrafts and sports infrastructure being developed in Cyprus. She also exhibited keen interest in the lake cleaning technology and sewerage treatment technology developed by Cyprus and sought to use it for cleaning and conserving Dal and Wullar lakes in the State.
Mehbooba Mufti informed the High Commissioner that Jammu & Kashmir offers a wide variety of winter tourism, adventure tourism, religious tourism besides mountain treks, breath taking meadows and serpentine streams. She asked the High Commissioner to persuade tourists from his country to visit the State and enjoy its enchanting beauty, particularly the coming winter tourism festival at Gulmarg.
A group of young hoteliers also called on the Chief Minister and discussed several measures for promoting tourism in the State.
The groups sought promotion of conference tourism, winter tourism and other niche segments of tourism. They also sought synergy in the efforts of the Government and the industry in countering the negative propaganda about the State.
The group also demanded concessions under GST, streamlining building permissions at tourist spots, regulating air fare and targeting ASEAN region for tourist foot fall to the State.
The Chief Minister informed the group that her Government is taking concerted steps for promoting tourism and marketing the State properly in the tourism markets of the country and outside. She said 25 road shows are being organised by Tourism Department in coming two months within the country and outside. She said she has directed the department to make the tourism fraternity of the State partners in all the trade fairs in the country and abroad.
Minister for Finance, Dr. Haseeb A. Drabu, Secretary, Tourism, Sarmad Hafeez, Director, Tourism Kashmir, Mehmood A Shah and representatives of hoteliers were present on the occasion.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
