Excelsior Correspondent
JAIPUR, May 11: The Jammu & Kashmir Tourism Department made a remarkable impression at the recently concluded Great Indian Travel Bazaar (GITB) 2025, held in Jaipur, Rajasthan.
This premier travel mart, renowned for its global scale and participation from over 50 countries, served as a powerful platform to promote India’s diverse tourism offerings, with special emphasis on pilgrimage tourism in Katra, the revered gateway to the holy shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji.
The J&K Pavilion was led by Vikas Gupta, Director Tourism, alongside Owias Mushtaq, Additional Secretary, Sana Khan, Under Secretary, and Arif Lone, Assistant Director, who showcased the Union Territory’s immense tourism potential to the international audience. Particular focus of GITB was Katra, a spiritual hub that continues to attract millions of devotees each year and remains one of the cornerstones of J&K’s pilgrimage tourism.
Prominently representing the stakeholders from the region, Raj Kumar Padha, President Chamber of Tourism, Trade and Industry Katra, actively championed the initiatives aimed at promoting pilgrimage and holistic tourism in and around Katra. He was joined by several key players from the tourism industry including Arun Sharma (MTMC), Joginder (Rama Trident), Nitin Gupta (Marriott Katra), Amritpal (Vivanta Jammu), Raneet (Vivanta Katra), Munish (Marriott), and Shabbir Jargar (Saaj Valley).
The event was graced by several distinguished dignitaries including Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Minister of Tourism and Culture, GoI; Diya Kumari, Deputy Chief Minister Rajasthan; Pravati Parida, Deputy CM of Odisha; Suman Berry, Vice Chairperson NITI Aayog; Rohan Khaunte, Minister for Tourism, GoI; Suman Billa, Addl Secretary and Director General, Ministry of Tourism, GoI; Arun Srivastava, Joint Director General, Ministry of Tourism, GoI; Dr Jyotsna Suri, Past President FICCI & CMD the Lalit Suri Hospitality Group, and Dr Senthil Gopinath, CEO International Congress and Convention Association and several other global tourism business leaders.
Raj Kumar Padha reaffirmed India’s growing stature as a globally competitive tourism destination, with Jammu & Kashmir emerging as a standout region for spiritual, natural, and cultural tourism. The interactions at the event have opened new avenues for collaboration, investment, and international promotion, particularly for Katra’s pilgrimage circuit, which is rapidly evolving with enhanced infrastructure, connectivity and experiential offerings.
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