Tourism: Project Opportunities in Jammu & Kashmir

PROFILE:
Tourism in India is the largest service industry, with a contribution of 6.23% to the national GDP and
8.78% of the total employment in India. The tourism industry in India is substantial and vibrant, and
the country is fast becoming a major global destination. Indias travel and tourism industry is one of
them most profitable industries in the country, and also credited with contributing a substantial
amount of foreign exchange. Indian Tourism offers a potpourri of different cultures, traditions,
festivals, and places of interest.
RESOURCES:
Jammu and Kashmir is known as crown of India, adheres varieties of cultural, religious spots,
adventure and sightseeing activities. It is famous for its towering snow clad mountains, bubbling
streams, transparent and sparkling lakes, flower meadows, colourful orchards and rare fauna. All such
features of Jammu and Kashmir have always attracted numerous tourists from all over the world.
Tourism has emerged as an important and one of the major contributors to the State's economy.
There are various places of tourist attraction in the State which are being visited by both foreign and
domestic tourists. Kashmir Valley is described as the paradise on earth. Chashmashahi springs,
Shalimar Bagh, Dal Lake, Dachigam, Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Sonamarg and Amarnath shrine in the
Valley, Vaishnodevi shrine and Patnitop near Jammu and Buddhist monasteries in Ladakh are
important tourist destinations. Ladakh festival in September and Sindhu Darshan in June are popular
events. However, efforts are being made to support houseboat owners and develop village tourism in
Jammu and Kashmir.

GOVERNMENT POLICIES:
In order to develop tourism in India in a systematic manner, position it as a major engine of economic
growth and to harness its direct and multiplier effects for employment and poverty eradication in an
environmentally sustainable manner, the National Tourism Policy was formulated in the year 2002.
Broadly, the Policy attempts to:

Position tourism as a major engine of economic growth;

Harness the direct and multiplier effects of tourism for employment generation, economic
development and providing impetus to rural tourism;

Focus on domestic tourism as a major driver of tourism growth.

Position India as a global brand to take advantage of the burgeoning global travel trade and the
vast untapped potential of India as a destination;

Acknowledges the critical role of private sector with government working as a pro-active
facilitator and catalyst;


Create and develop integrated tourism circuits based on Indias unique civilization, heritage,
and culture in partnership with States, private sector and other agencies; and ensure that the tourist
to India gets physically invigorated, mentally rejuvenated, culturally enriched, spiritually elevated and
feel India from within.