Excelsior Correspondent
LEH, Mar 13: To discuss steps for promoting tourism in UT Ladakh, Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Brigadier (Dr) BD Mishra (Retd) held a meeting here today.
At the outset, the LG highlighted the need to promote tourism to increase the footfall of tourists in UT Ladakh.
He underscored the need for tourism stakeholders, both Hill Councils and UT Administration to work in close association with each other by integrating the efforts. Citing Goa’s example, where the state witnessed a massive decline in footfall of tourists over the last few years.
The LG emphasised taking immediate measures to ensure that tourism in Ladakh does not meet the same fate as Goa’s as a large number of people in UT Ladakh are involved in tourism activities for their livelihood.
He stated that necessary steps must be taken to inform the tourists about initiatives taken by the UT Administration for the welfare of tourists to ensure an increase in their footfall, viz. enforce the law of the land, ask taxi drivers to be fair and honest, ensure hotel rates and services is up to the mark, promote budget-friendly tour packages through tour/travel agencies, ensure hotels follow transparent policies, promote Ladakh tourism at various places in India involved in tourism activities to boost the footfall of domestic tourists.
The LG also sought cooperation from the tourism stakeholders to realise the goal of making Ladakh a corruption and delay-free region along with timely payment of electricity bills by the general public; reducing the extraction of underground water instead using surface water for drinking purposes to preserve drinking water for future generations.
Among others who attended the meeting included CEC/Chairman, LAHDC Leh, Adv Tashi Gyalson; CEC/Chairman, LAHDC Kargil, Dr Mohd Jaffer Akhoon, Chief Secretary, Dr Pawan Kotwal, DGP Ladakh, Dr SD Singh Jamwal, Secretary, Tourism, Vikram Singh Malik, Secretary, Transportation, Bhupesh Chaudhary, DC Leh, Santosh Sukhadeve, DC Kargil, Balasaheb Suse, SSP Leh, Shruti Arora and Director, Finance, Dr Safdar Ali.
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