A 30-member strong IATO delegation led by Ravi Gosain, President, IATO, met Hon’ble Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir, Omar Abdullah, today in Srinagar. At the meeting, the CM thanked the delegation for the initiative and assured the safety and security of tourists, urging the delegates to spread the word within their fraternity that Kashmir is safe to travel.
Yasha Mudgal, Commissioner cum Secretary Tourism, and Raja Yaqoob Farooq, Director Tourism – Kashmir, were also present and assured full support from the J&K Tourism Department.
Ground realities assessed during “Rubaroo” campaign
The delegation meeting was part of the three-day “14–17 June Rubaroo Jammu & Kashmir” campaign by IATO, under which members toured various parts of Pahalgam and Srinagar. They found the valley peaceful and its people welcoming. Ravi Gosain noted, “It was important to assess the ground situation, and during our three-day stay we found the state as safe as any other place.
Besides, we have assurances from the highest echelons of the government, and that gives us all huge confidence. I am sure tourist flow to the state would be back to normal in times to come.”
Restoring confidence post-Pahalgam incident
“Post the Pahalgam incident, there were scores of cancellations faced by IATO members from both domestic and foreign tourists. Obviously, the sentiment was hit, but it is important to restore confidence and revive tourism. The visit is a step in this direction and we are completely satisfied with the safety arrangements made by the government,” added Gosain.
Invitation to IATO Annual Convention 2025
IATO also took the opportunity to invite the Hon’ble Chief Minister to the 40th IATO Annual Convention, to be held in Puri, Odisha, in August 2025. This would offer the CM a chance to meet 1,000–1,200 delegates from across the country. The CM accepted IATO’s invitation in principle and assured that Jammu & Kashmir Tourism would participate with a strong delegation. The IATO Convention is scheduled for 22nd–25th August 2025.
