Sameer Ahmmad Baktoo
Apart from its natural beauty, heavenly landscapes and amazing climate the hospitality of Kashmir is one of the key elements that attracts tourist to Kashmir and is famous throughout the world. Kashmir Tourism has suffered a major loss in early 90’s due to political instability and we cannot ignore the efforts taken by the state Tourism Department and the Tourism Stakeholders in reviving the tourism of Kashmir, they had vigorously being working on promoting Kashmir tourism around the globe and despite of many obstacles like critical political situation in Kashmir, negative publicity done by some vested elements and recent natural disasters they have shown resistance and have achieved success in their endeavor and bought tourism industry back on its track.
Despite of living in a politically unstable place since decades together, the traditional and cultural hospitality value of serving our guests has not died yet. People of Kashmir are very hospitable in nature and tourists, who visit Kashmir, never forget to mention the good nature & overall conduct of the people here.
But looking at the current on ground situation of various tourist sports in Kashmir worries me about the future of our tourism. In a pace of promoting tourism we are forgetting the necessity of promoting the key elements of sustainable tourism like customer satisfaction. We are not able to give a good experience to the tourist visiting Kashmir; the tourists face huge issues at various tourist spots like Sonmarg, Gulmarg etc. Tourist visiting these places complaint that they are being harassed, cheated, overcharged and forced to take services by unprofessional and unregistered Units holders / persons.
Some of the tourists also register complaints with the local authors of such incidents but majority of them ignore these incidents for that particular time due to their rush of exploring the destination but later on post huge blogs or article online. The few of the complaints and feedback among the many that are available online were that they (tourists) were being forced to take ponies, even if they are not physically fit to ride on a pony” they (Tourists) are being charges 7 to 15 thousand rupees for 10 – 12 Kilometers drive by local taxi unions, most of the tourist are forced to rent huge Jacket and long boots in the month of May and June, The Internet is filled with such complaints from the tourist.
Being in a highly digitized world the tourists nowadays book and choose their travel destination after researching and reading the blogs and reviews online and from various travel advisory website. The increasing number of such negative complaints can hamper our tourism promotional activities in particular. We are failing in retaining a tourist to our destination and the footfall of repeated and recommended tourist visiting Kashmir is decreasing everyday and it cannot be ignored. I understand that local stakeholders who are dependent on tourist should make their living from the tourist visiting these destinations by offering them various services but a suitable balance must be established between these dimensions to guarantee long-term sustainability of the tourism by the authorities. We should maintain a high level of tourist satisfaction and ensure a meaningful experience to the tourists, which would in return develop a sense of sustainable tourism among them. The concerned authorities should take these complaints seriously and formulate immediate policies to overcome these problems. Few of the points that should be taken in consideration are as follows…
1. Fixed rate list should be published by the Department of every services rendered by local people at various spots to tourists in order to ensure fair trade.
2. Any services offered to tourists at any place should not be allowed without the approval / registration from the concern prescribed authorities.
3. Proper shelter sheds should be made at every place where ponies, sledges, or ATV’s can be parked and a proper counter system should be put in place where law enforcement team should be deployed and the tourist should render the desired services at these counters only at the fixed rates that has been approved by the Tourism Department and same should be enforced on the service providers in letter & spirit by the law.
4. The Department should give a unique number to every approved Pony / Sledge wala's and these numbers should be visible to tourists, So that incase of any issue the tourists could register a complaint against the particular service provider involved in the act / offence.
5. A vigilance team from the Department should be assigned to pay surprise visits at these destinations to ensure fair trade and incase of any complaints strict action should be taken against the culprits.
6. I’m sure some of these points are currently in place, but we need to ensure that they are followed and practice on ground because “if we don't serve our customer well someone else will avail the benefit and we will loose business and someone else will gain it” there is still time left prior to the situation by virtue of which our destination may be known as destination where tourist/guests are cheated & betrayed.
A guest / tourist is the most important asset for our state, as the major part of our economy is directly dependent upon the Tourism Industry and this interdependence cannot be ignored at all..
Author is Secretary General Kashmir Eco Tourism Club
Comments are closed.