Jammu & Kashmir Ministry of Tourism Santek
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
FINAL REPORT OF 20 YEAR PERSPECTIVE PLAN FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF TOURISM IN JAMMU & KASHMIR GULMARG DAL LAKE SONAMARG PAHALGAM PREPARED FOR MINISTRY OF TOURISM GOVERNMENT OF INDIA, NEW DELHI BY SANTEK CONSULTANTS PRIVATE LIMITED DELHI-110091 ( E-mail : [email protected] ) SANTEK CONSULTANTS PVT. LTD. NEW DELHI PREFACE In the contemporary period, tourism has become a big business and has been considered as a fastest growing industry. This is primarily a service industry because it does not produce goods but extends services to various classes of people. Tourism can play an effective role in integrating the entire universe. Tourism opens up a new window for resources, both investments and generation, leading to employment generation as well as socio-economic development of the local populace at large. The tourism industry is identified as an important `tiger’ industry for the first decade of the current century. India’s share in international tourist travel is abysmally low. Reasons are many but the main factor is that the geography and history of India are little known outside South Asia and, therefore, remain insignificant for international tourists. From time to time, India has evoked interest of international tourists for factor never contemplated in any planning. For example, the worldwide screening of film `Gandhi’ in the period 1983-85 provided a major impetus for international travelers to visit India. The Ministry of Tourism recently desired all the State governments to provide schemes for the promotion of regional tourism and in the same manner the State Government of J & K was asked to do likewise. The Ministry of Tourism also appointed various expert groups to undertake surveys and studies and recommend perspective plans for the development of tourism extended over a period of 20 years. A set of guidelines were also issued, which the expert groups had to keep in mind while undertaking their work to formulate the perspective plan. M/s Santek Consultants Private Limited, Delhi, were assigned the task to prepare a 20 years perspective plan for the sustainable development of tourism in the State of J & K. The assignment has come at a time when the State of J & K is going through a very delicate and violence prone period. (i) PREFACE 20 Year Perspective Plan for Sustainable Development of Tourism in the State of Jammu And Kashmir SANTEK CONSULTANTS PVT. LTD. NEW DELHI The State of J & K has three distinct regions, viz. Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh and all three have immense potential for tourism from both domestic as well as international tourists. There are number of locations which are untapped and can be developed as major tourist destinations, having all the natural as well as the cultural resources for attracting tourists. Some of the important natural resources are excellent climate, beautiful lakes, locations for adventure sports, wild life, trout fish, natural and manmade parks like Shalimar and Nishat of the Mughal period, flora and fauna, alpine forests, natural waterfalls and streams etc. As for the cultural resources, the state has some of the most important religious shrines of Hindus, historical monuments, plethora of local festivals, distinct cuisine, craftsmanship skills for intricate and fine woodwork, woolens, carpets, textiles, paper mache, inlay work etc. But the other grave reality is that tourism has been directly hit at least in the region of Kashmir Valley. There is a state of despondency in all support services to the State tourism industry. Within Kashmir Valley the level of unemployment amongst youth is high and assuming dangerous proportion. Because of the violence prone environment, no well-known financial institutions are willing to invest in the State. Even the routine work of survey sampling as a part of this assignment has been found to be a highly dangerous activity for the individual. M/s Santek Consultants Private Limited, have attempted under these very trying conditions to develop programmes of developmental activities which are related to the tourist industry and these have been incorporated between the covers of this proposal. The index provides an idea of the content, which are laid chapter-wise. The executive summary encompassing recommendation is given in the beginning of the Report. The 20 years perspective plan follows the objective to provide employment opportunities, improve the per capita income in families, raise general level of living standards without allowing for a superficial emergence of wealth and opulence in the local society. During the fieldwork the consultants have come across a vast amount of intelligent activity, most practical in nature, having been submitted to the State Government which had their early death (as (ii) PREFACE 20 Year Perspective Plan for Sustainable Development of Tourism in the State of Jammu And Kashmir SANTEK CONSULTANTS PVT. LTD. NEW DELHI none were ever implemented). At the same time, our very unfortunate experience has been that outside the State, there has been no in-depth studies which would specialise in various activities of an economic growth including tourism. The apprehension however is that keeping in view the development of the economy and the political characteristics in this region, the 20 years perspective plan may also end up in the similar manner finally as many of the very well intentional similar schemes which have been contemplated in the past. A simple aid otherwise, like a detailed map of the State of J&K is hard to come by today because the Central Government has put restrictions on the printing of such maps of the State. Within the State of J&K, it is not possible for a student to acquire a map of the State showing its physical features and road-links. The maps for tourists available are of German origin, which have been pirated and are readily available with the operators of mountain trekking. This simply indicates the kind of monumental problems, which planners, visualizing a 20 years perspective in developmental activities, will face when they have to put their programmes into print and visualize a future reality. The Consultants were also advised to recommend the financial outlay of suggested proposals, the time table of commissioning the projects over the 20 years period and attempted to predict the potential of creating new jobs. The reader will find that in some of the chapters such financial proposals are missing. The reason is that no necessity was felt for adding financial burden on existing sponsored schemes and the present expenditure levels were sufficient to sustain the pattern of growth; what was lacking was a direction, proper leadership and proper planning. The Consultants, therefore, have attempted to fill the vacuum to the maximum extent possible in areas, which they were privileged to survey during the course of their tours. Elsewhere, specific recommendations with financial outlays for Government’s consideration have been given. The Government of India may underwrite specific schemes to create job opportunities for the (iii) PREFACE 20 Year Perspective Plan for Sustainable Development of Tourism in the State of Jammu And Kashmir SANTEK CONSULTANTS PVT. LTD. NEW DELHI people in the State of J & K. Many of the schemes envisage creation of job opportunities outside the State bureaucracy. This is deliberate as the State Bureaucracy is already over-burdened by a vast number of persons on their rolls, and the numbers need to be decreased. The Consultants are grateful to all the senior officers of the State Government, representatives of the various trade bodies and individuals with whom they interacted in the assigned period of this work to help arrive at the conclusions. Many of the recommendations made may not be received enthusiastically. Some surgeries on the `patient’ have been recommended. The Consultants plead forgiveness for any unintentional hurt caused to the sentiments of any individual or group. Sanjay Jain Director (iv) PREFACE 20 Year Perspective Plan for Sustainable Development of Tourism in the State of Jammu And Kashmir SANTEK CONSULTANTS PVT. LTD. NEW DELHI ACKNOWLEDGEMENT We are also grateful to the Ministry of Tourism & Culture, Government of India, for assigning this prestigious task of Preparing the “20 Year Perspective Plan for Sustainable Development of Tourism in the State of Jammu & Kashmir”. We are in particular grateful to the officials of the Ministry of Tourism & Culture, Government of India & the Department of Tourism, for extending all cooperation and help during the conduct of this study. We are also grateful to all the senior officers of the State Government, representatives of the various associations (Hotels, Houseboats, etc.), trade bodies and individuals with whom we had interacted in the assigned period of this work, to help arrive at the conclusions, for developing the Perspective Plan. Sanjay Jain Director (i) ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 20 Year Perspective Plan for Sustainable Development of Tourism in the State of Jammu And Kashmir SANTEK CONSULTANTS PVT. LTD. NEW DELHI LIST OF CONTENTS CHAPTER NO. PARTICULARS PAGE NO. PREFACE i-iv EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1-22 I OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY & SCOPE OF WORK 1 II METHODOLOGY AND SURVEY DESIGN 4 Approach For Formulation of Perspective Plan 4 Background for Formulating the Plan 4 Assumptions for the Perspective Planning 5 Phasial Approach for the Perspective Planning 5 Survey Design 7 Universe of the Study 7 Sampling Plan 8 Data Collection 8 Primary Data Collection 8 Secondary Data Collection 12 Focus Areas of Study