PUNE: “Kashmir is safe for tourists,” said Sher-I-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) Director Javid Bakshi.

Bakshi was interacting with the media in Pune on Monday. 

In an attempt to quash fears among travellers to visit the Valley during the forthcoming tourist season - the first in Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370 in August last year - Bakshi assured that the new Union Territory (UT) was ready for everyone. 

“We are hopeful that people will continue to love Kashmir that way they always have. In fact, there are tourists visiting Kashmir right now. We can assure you that all tourist destinations in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) are completely safe for the tourists and any militant activity that you hear of in national media is usually near the border areas only,” Pahalgam Hotel and Restaurant Owners Association President Asif Iqbal Burza said.

Burza also added that the tourist destinations in Kashmir are well-connected by highways and thus, travelling across the destinations is secure for the tourists.

While there was internet shutdown for the past six months in the UT, Bakshi told Sakal Times that the internet services have mostly been restored in the Valley.

Travel Agents Association of Pune (TAAP) President Vishwas Kelkar said, “We are hopeful that people will start giving positive response to Kashmir tours again. In fact, it’s a good thing that we are already getting enquiries. I would say that all is well for tourists in Kashmir.”

The associations are now looking forward to organising interactions and roadshows in all states to appeal to tourists from all over India to start visiting Kashmir again.