Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Dec 19: The Outbound Tour Operators Association of India (OTOAI) today said that Jammu and Kashmir is safe for travel and can emerge as India’s leading adventure tourism destination, as around 200 tour operators from across the country attended its 17th annual convention in Srinagar.
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Addressing a press conference, OTOAI president Ajeet Bajaj said the association chose Srinagar to underline confidence in the region. “We held our annual convention, the 17th convention, Indian Adventure Tourism: Safe, Sustainable, and Resilient, here in Srinagar. We have really had a great convention and enjoyed the very warm hospitality,” he said.
He said delegates also visited major tourist destinations. “Some of our members from the convention, our association members, have gone on trips to Pahalgam, to Gulmarg, and to Sonmarg. We have had a great time,” Bajaj said.
He added, “We all believe that Jammu and Kashmir is the adventure destination of India, and we want to work with the Government and do whatever it takes to get more adventure tourists here and promote safe and sustainable adventure tourism here.”
Bajaj said OTOAI organised business-to-business meetings to support local operators. “All adventure operators from India have met the local operators here, and we are trying to forge a bond, a network between them, so they can bring business here for adventure tourism,” he said.
Prominent hotelier Mushtaq Ahmad Chaya said the visit sent a reassuring message. “We are very thankful to Adventure Tourism, to their president, to their members, and to almost 200 members from all over the country who have come here,” he added.
Urging delegates to spread the message nationally, he said, “Now, we have requested them that you be our ambassador in the whole country, to tell all the people how Kashmir is. Let them come; this is their land, this is their country, and this is their territory. We are always ready to serve them.”
Other delegates said peace and safety were central to tourism revival. “Peace is the first thing tourists look for. But we have seen it for ourselves. We have the confidence. That is why we are here, 200 of us, doing our annual convention here,” one delegate said.
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