ANANTNAG – The Director Tourism Kashmir, Dr. G N Itoo today threw open a capacity building programme for tourism stakeholders of Pahalgam, here.
The programme was jointly organized by the Department of Tourism and University of Kashmir in collaboration with the Union Ministry of Tourism.
This is the third in series of the capacity building programmes being conducted by the department. Earlier, a four day capacity building programme was held at Srinagar and Gulmarg for shikarawals and Tourist Guides by the Department.
The aim of conducting these programmes has been to guide the stakeholders on the implementation of COVID-19 appropriate protocols while conducting their businesses in the post pandemic environment.
In his opening remarks, Director Tourism said that these programmes are being organised with an aim to make different tourism stakeholders aware about the COVID-19 protocols while carrying out their business activities.
He said that through this Capacity Building programme, training will be provided to all the stakeholders associated with the tourism sector so that the tourists visiting Kashmir can feel safe while visiting here. He said all the stakeholders having interface with the tourists will be trained through this Capacity Building Programme on Covid-19 protocols and SOPs.
Dr Itoo said in the changed environment of global pandemic, trade practices have undergone a change and the same should be factored in while conducting day to day businesses.
He advised the stakeholders that if they want to maintain the edge among the competing tourism markets in the country, they should ensure a level of fairness in the trade in tune with the local traditional hospitality.
He hoped with today’s capacity building programme, the stakeholders would be benefited in terms of latest trade practices followed elsewhere in the world; post Covid precautions and the traditional courtesies the place has been known world over.
President, Tourist Guides Federation of India, Dr. Ajay Singh and experts from relevant fields sensitized the participants about the latest practices and precautions in the trade in the wake of Covid pandemic and economic sluggishness of the past two years or so.
