Tourism and economic development in J&K

Tourism is the activity of travelling to a place for pleasure. Tourism makes an enormous contribution to local economies by creating employment opportunities and sustainable development. The Mughal emperor Jhangir said that if there is paradise on earth, it is here. J&K is also known as “Paradise on Earth”. J&K is well known for its scenic beauty, natural waterfall, apple valleys, deep gorges,  poplar trees, deodar trees, chinars, wonderful panorama, pollution free air, snow clad mountains, fascinating gardens, enchanting lakes etc.

Tourism in J&K is one of the most important sectors of economy. Being the largest service industry, tourism is a significant contributor to the state GDP,  foreign exchange for the country, provides wide spread employment, yields tax revenue etc. Jammu and Kashmir has immense potential for Pilgrimage tourism also. Therefore, it attracts large number of pilgrims from various parts of India. Pilgrimage tourism thus provides an extra boost to the state’s economy. The state of Jammu and Kashmir has three distinct regions  viz, Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. All the three regions have immense potential for tourism from both domestic as well as international tourists.

While mountainous landscape of Kashmir valley has attracted tourists for centuries across the globe. Some notable tourist places in Kashmir valley are Dal lake, Mughal gardens, Nishat Bagh, Gulmarg, Phalgam etc. Kashmiri’s natural landscape has made it one of the popular destinations for adventure tourism in South Asia. Marked by four distinct seasons, ski enthusiasts can enjoy the exotic Himalayan powder during winters. Gulmarg is indeed amongst the best places to visit in Jammu & Kashmir. Located approximately 52kms away from capital city Srinagar, Meadow of Flowers as it is popularly called Gulmarg is a haven for adventure enthusiasts.

Along with prominent skiing options, trekking, snowboarding, golfing, mount biking and fishing are the prime options that Gulmarg overwhelms tourist with. Jammu is called “city of temples”. Jammu is known for its ancient temples, Hindu shrines, gardens and forts. The Hindu holy shrine of Amarnath in Kashmir attracts millions of Hindu devotees every year and Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu region also attracts tens of thousands of Hindu devotees every year. The unmatched divinity at Raghunath temple, Ranbireshwar temple, Mahamaya temple, Peer Baba and Peer Khoh touches every corner of  Jammu invigorates visitors.  One must visit the Bahu temple, which is situated inside the majestic Bahu Fort. The temple is dedicated to presiding deity of  Jammu, Goddess Kali or Bawe Wali Mata as she is popularly called in the region.

Besides the temple, a travel enthusiast can witness architectural grandeur of Bahu Fort and Mubarak Mandi Palace. The Aquarium at Bagh-e-Bahu (Bahu Fort) also catches the eyes of the tourists as it is the largest underground aquarium in the country Jammu’s historic monuments feature a unique blend of Islamic and Hindu architecture styles. The Rajouri district which is 158 km away from Jammu is  blessed with many charming places to visit; Dehra Ki Gali, Thanna Mandi and Kotranka Budhal are few places that are apt for sightseeing. One can retire to these remote places in summers as the weather remains pleasant here all year round.

The magnificent Rajouri Fort, Balidan Bhavan, Dhanidar Fort and Rama Temple are few places that can be visited in the vicinity of Rajouri. Gulmarg is indeed amongst the best places to visit in Jammu & Kashmir. Located approximately 52kms away from capital city Srinagar, Meadow of Flowers as it is popularly called Gulmarg is a haven for adventure enthusiasts. Along with prominent skiing options, trekking, snowboarding, golfing, mount biking and fishing are the prime options that Gulmarg overwhelms you with. Ladakh, the third and important region of the State has emerged as a major hub for adventure tourism. This part of Greater Himalaya called “Moon on Earth” comprising of naked peaks and deep gorges was once known for the silk route to Asia from subcontinent.

Besides these tourist spots in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh, the famous tourist destinations in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh are  Patnitop, Nathatop, Mantalai, Mansar, Pahalgam, Verinag, Betaab valley, Sonamarg, Shankaracharya temple, Hazratbal, Pari Mahal, Wular Lake, Shanti Stupa, Deskit Monastery etc.

The tertiary sector commonly known as service sector is an important sector which plays a great role in the economic development of J&K. This sector includes sub sectors like Trade, Hotels and Restaurants, Transport, Storage and Communication, Banking and Insurance, Real estate, Ownership dwellings  and business services’, Public administration.

Tourism has played an important  role for developing the economy particularly of Kashmir and Ladakh. As tourism is a labour-intensive industry, it has resulted in job creation and generated a lot of economic activities in primary, secondary and tertiary sectors in the state. Visitors spending generates income for both public and private sectors besides effecting wages and employment opportunities. Entry fee is charged from tourists if they want to explore the beauty of Cashmashahi, Verinag garden, Mughal Gardens etc which is the source of revenue for the government.’

There are various problems of tourism industry in J&K like Poor road connectivity and transportation facilities , lack of basic hygienic amenities at halting point, communication gaps, untrained guides etc. The privatization of tourism sector can help to fill the gap by providing efficient and highly skilled manpower and develop the necessary infrastructure to exploit the booming tourism sector in Jammu and Kashmir.

J&K has a tremendous potential to become a major global tourist destination. Importance of tourism in J&K economy is known for decades now. Tourism in J&K is a multi -segmental industry by providing different types of jobs like hotel managers, guides, tour operators, chefs etc which further strengthens the J&K economy by increasing income and standard of living of the people. Tourism acts as a catalyst in the development of backward and far flung regions of a particular area.

Same is the case of J&K where tourists are attracted towards the areas which are located in remote regions of state like Lolab and Bangus valley in Kupwara, Suru valley in kargil, Daksum valley in Anantnag, Gurez valley in Baramulla, which are known for their scenic beauty and charming climate and for greater tourist potential than those offered by famous destinations like Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Mughal gardens among the likewise. Tourists visiting such unexplored attractive spots can give boost to the economic condition of the residents by promoting local art like Handicrafts, Handlooms, Cricket bat industry and Ayurveda.

It has been estimated that handicrafts (Wood carving, Pashmina shawl) in J&K generate a revenue of more than Rs.1000cr with about 4-5 lakh artisans being employed in this sector (J&K Economic survey). There are many factors responsible for the huge potential of tourism in J&K, as the State is well known destination for its great hospitality, rich cultural heritage and scenic beauty.  J&K is a suitable destination for several other types of tourism which are yet to be exploited like Adventure tourism, Medical tourism, Eco-tourism, Polo tourism and Leisure tourism.

Handicrafts of J&K like pashmina shawl & paper mache is famous in the whole world.  So, more and more areas should be explored as tourist spots which will help the Government in earning revenue which will ultimately help in development of J&K. Moreover, tourism will help in development of better infrastructure and thereby leading to more tourism related activities.