Says hospitality, human touch key to tourism growth
Waris Fayaz
Srinagar, Sep 27 :
Gulmarg will host the sixth national-level golf tournament this year as part of the Department of Tourism’s efforts to promote golf tourism and diversify Kashmir’s tourism offerings, Director Tourism Kashmir Syed Qamar Sajjad said on World Tourism Day.
Speaking on the occasion, Director Tourism Kashmir Syed Qamar Sajjad, as per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said the tournament will be fully sponsored by the Department of Tourism and included in its annual calendar. He said the event will also be held in Gulmarg next year.
On tourism growth, he stressed the importance of quality hospitality and human interaction, saying excessive reliance on artificial intelligence should not come at the cost of the visitor experience.
“For tourists, money does not matter, but service matters and how we deal with them and how we protect them from betrayal,” he said, adding that the smile of the host remains an important part of Kashmir’s hospitality.
“Instead of relying on AI, we should upgrade our services,” the Director said, stressing the need to improve services and strengthen the overall experience of visitors.
He said tourism remains one of the major employment-generating sectors in Kashmir and called for greater focus on the way visitors are received and treated.
He said tourists generally arrive with a planned budget but are willing to spend more when they receive good services and feel welcomed. The Director Sajjad further said the government has formulated a strategy to further promote tourism, with golf among the key focus areas.—(KNO)