Jammu and Kashmir: 3rd Tourism Working Group Meeting inaugurated in presence of Indian Union Ministers

Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha, inaugurated the ‘3rd Tourism Working Group Meeting’ at SKICC Srinagar in the presence of Union Minister of State (independent charge) Science & Technology; MoS PMO, Personnel, Dr Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of Culture, Tourism and the Development of the Northeastern Region Kishan Reddy. The inaugural ceremony was attended by the delegates of G20 nations, international organisations and invited countries.

Lieutenant Governor J&K, Manoj Sinha said, “Under India’s G20 Presidency, the G20 tourism working group is focusing on five inter-connected priority areas that will provide a roadmap for tourism as a tool for achieving sustainable development goals. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Jammu & Kashmir will soon find its place in the top 50 destinations in the world and it will be on the travel bucket list of global travellers. J&K is developing the country’s largest book village on the banks of Wular Lake as the aim is to make the countryside and popular destinations more sustainable and preserve the beauty of fascinating heritage sites."

Almost after four decades, J&K has revived its relationship with Bollywood and launched a film policy in 2021 to attract more investment inthe film sector and to make Jammu Kashmir the most popular film shooting destination.

“It is a poetry. It’s a land of realisation. It is an energy field vibrating with ageless Indian cultural values. Tourism in Jammu Kashmir is also a reflection of the multi-religious and multi-cultural ethos of India. Under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we have ensured that the transition in the tourism sector in the backdrop of the pandemic focuses on the needs of travellers, and interests of industry stakeholders, creates employment opportunities and promotes environmental awareness,” Sinha said.

Speaking during the inaugural session, Dr Jitendra Singh said, the logo and the theme together convey a powerful message of India’s G20 Presidency, which is of striving for just and equitable growth for all in the world.

“The theme of India’s G20 Presidency- 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam'or 'One Earth, One Family, One Future'– is drawn from the ancient Sanskrit text of the Maha Upanishad. The theme affirms the value of all life– human, animal, plant, and microorganisms & their interconnectedness on the planet Earth and in the wider universe. J&K has advanced with unique infrastructure, like the world’s highest rail bridge ‘Chenab Bridge’ higher than the Eiffel Tower and India’s longest highway tunnel Chenani-Nashri Tunnel, which is also Asia’s longest bi-directional highway tunnel,are the magnets of attraction for the tourism sector in J&K,” said Dr Jitendra Singh.

G. Kishan Reddy, while speaking during the inaugural session said, the Ministry of Tourism is keen to work with G20 nations to promote sustainable tourism in India and around the world. He further added that significant progress has been made in the five key priority areas under the 3rd Tourism Working Group Meeting. These priorities are key building blocks for accelerating the transition of the tourism sector and achieving the targets for 2030 SDGs, he emphasised.

G20 Sherpa, Amitabh Kant also said that commendable progress has been made in the five key priority areas namely green tourism, digitalization, skills, MSMEs and destination management. Tourism is a major driver of growth, a major driver of job creation.

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