J-K govt organizes capacity building training programme for tourist service providers

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], February 19 : Jammu and Kashmir government has organized capacity building training programme for tourism service providers that aims to make tourists comfortable in the valley.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, people belonging to the tourism industry especially main service providers including taxi operators, Shikara and boatmen are facing a lot of problems for the last two years.
To make the tourism industry more comfortable, the department of tourism in collaboration with Kashmir University organized a four days special programme at Nigeen club where a number of people especially Shikara owner's taxi operators participated.
The programme was started on February 16 and will be concluded on Saturday.
Speaking to ANI, Dr GN Itoo, Director Tourism Kashmir said the first interaction with tourists happened with the service provider, their treatment towards them will decide how the tourists make their journey memorable.
"Therefore a programme like this is important to tell service providers how to behave with tourists. Due to the covid pandemic, there are many changes in health and safety, it is the effort to make the tourists aware of these norms," he said.
Wali Mohd Bhat, President of Shikara Association said the programme held here is a good initiative for the people who belong to the tourism industry.
"In the programme service providers were given instructions about how to behave with tourists," he said.
He also said, "due to pandemic tourism industry suffered, but now there is hope that it will witness a boom."
Vivek Jain, a Tourist said "these tourist service providers guide you very well about a place to visit and path to chose for travelling. They make tourists comfortable. Basically, I like people, food and the beauty of Kashmir."