World famous ski resort and tourist destination, Gulmarg in north Kashmir is all set to host the foreign dignitaries who will be arriving here in connection with the G20 meet later this month, officials said.
Gulmarg has been given a complete new-look from roads, to pathways to hotels for the foreign dignitaries. An official said that all the necessary arrangements have been put in place to make the event a success.
“The government is completely focused on the event. And we want to make it a success at all the cost. We also know that all the eyes would be on us once the dignitaries arrive at this famous tourist destination,” the official said.
Roughly, the foreign dignitaries from 20 different countries will attend the meeting and discuss tourism, unemployment, and socioeconomic development in different regions.
The three-day second Tourism Working Group Global (TWG) meeting, under India’s G20 presidency, is scheduled to begin in Srinagar from May 22 to 24.
The government of India has made elaborate arrangements have been made beforehand to make this event special and memorable.
Giving details about the arrangements made at Gulmarg, the officials said that an international setup has been put in place to welcome the delegation.
Pertinently, the administration has given an aesthetic look to the existing structures, footpaths and medians have been developed, roads are being furnished, and hoardings have been installed.
“Welcome boards and signages have also been erected in Gulmarg. The road to Gulmarg from Srinagar, the Narbal-Gulmarg stretch, is being given a new look,” an official associated with the arrangements said.
The high-profile international event of G20 tourism working group meeting will be the first meet in Srinagar which will be held on May 23 and 24, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir. Also, the Jammu and Kashmir administration has put in every effort and the preparations are in full swing to make the program a success.
The officials also believe that the Summit will increase the tourist footfall for Gulmarg. “We hope that due to this international event more tourists will visit Gulmarg which will be good for our tourist players and for our economy also,” the official said.
He said that only in the month of April this year, the famed Gulmarg has already witnessed a record break of 1.40 lakh tourists. “Our hope is only that this number of tourists will increase once the international Summit is held here,” the official said.
He said that the government of India has given an opportunity to Jammu and Kashmir to showcase the tourism potential of the Kashmir valley. “The Summit will give a major boost for the tourism of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
He said due to the visit of foreign dignitaries to the Kashmir valley, in general and to Gulmarg in particular, it will positively help in turn to get more and more foreign tourists to Gulmarg. “We do receive foreign tourists every year but we want to cater and get more foreign tourists for Gulmarg so that Kashmir's image as a tourist destination reaches far and wide,” the official said.
Around 150 foreign and national delegates will participate in the summit in the second week of May.
The Jammu and Kashmir traders also said that the G20 summit is expected to have a positive impact on the tourism and trade sectors of the region.