JAMMU AND KASHMIR EYEING MALAYSIA FOR TOURISM TIPS

By P. Vijian

SRINAGAR, May 24 (Bernama) -- Malaysia's remarkable achievement in its
billion-ringgit tourism sector has caught the eye of internationally popular
tourist destination Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).

A high-powered J&K ministerial delegation was set to visit Malaysia to study
its success story, said Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

He said Malaysia had made remarkable achievement in luring tourists to its
shores and there were areas where the state of J&K could gain some industry
knowledge.

"Malaysia is also Muslim majority as is J&K. It is important for
destinations like J&K that want to promote tourism to look at countries like
Malaysia, which is still protecting the Muslim character, and still allowing
non-Muslims the space to make their own choices, without impacting on the psyche
of the majority.

"Those are lessons to be learnt. Malaysia has been so successful and this is
certainly something in the medium term which J&K can take a look," Omar told
Bernama in a recent interview in the capital.

The chief minister also said the J&K government would look at Malaysia as an
important market to promote the scenic state where Malaysian tourists in
recent years, were reported to be among the major visitors to Kashmir.

"Before militancy started in J&K (in 1989), our entire focus was on the
west, our tourists would come from the West and America, but these days, we find
our largest market is Southeast Asia.

"It's Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. We plan to send our tourism
minister to Southeast Asia, including Malaysia, to drum up interest in J&K," he
added.
The tourism industry is picking up in the northern-most state of India,
which once suffered due to militancy, but this summer, tourist arrivals reached
almost 200,000 since March.

In August, the J&K tourism ministry plans to organise a road show in Kuala
Lumpur.
-- BERNAMA


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