CM Omar Abdullah to hold cabinet meetings in Pahalgam, Gulmarg to boost Kashmir's Tourism
In an effort to restore confidence and revive tourism, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah will chair a cabinet meeting today (Tuesday) at the popular tourist destination of Pahalgam in South Kashmir. The meeting aims to reassure visitors that Kashmir is safe and encourage travelers to return to the Valley.
Sources indicate that the CM and his cabinet colleagues will also meet with tourism stakeholders in Pahalgam to gather suggestions on how to revive tourism in the Valley in the aftermath of the April 22 attack.
Holding the cabinet meeting in Pahalgam is seen as a deliberate effort to send the message that there is no cause for concern and that Kashmir remains a safe destination for tourists.
This will be the first cabinet meeting of the Omar-led government during this tenure to be held outside the twin capitals of Srinagar and Jammu.
Following the April 22 militant attack on Pahalgam, in which 25 tourists and a local ponywala, who bravely attempted to disarm one of the attackers to protect tourists, were killed, as well as the subsequent four-day military skirmishes between India and Pakistan from May 7-10 during 'Operation Sindoor,' the tourism sector in the Valley has suffered substantial losses.
Immediately after the attack, tourists fled the area, and there was a widespread cancellation of bookings.
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