Centre focuses on foreign filmmakers to promote J&K at international level

SRINAGAR: The G20 Tourism Working Group meeting concluded in Srinagar without any ugly incident and now the government is trying to get foreign filmmakers, including some Hollywood crews, to Kashmir in order to boost tourism here.
According to the Union Tourism Minister G.K. Reddy, the methodology to be used for bringing foreign film crews to Kashmir was discussed in the working group meeting of G20. He said that the government will try to bring a new film policy so that Kashmir comes on the international map of filmmakers.
Hundreds of film crews from Bollywood to South to Tamil film industry have been busy in Kashmir, shooting their films and songs. The tourism industry is really in upward swing after the G20 tourism meeting organized in Srinagar. Union Minister of State for the Prime Minister’s Office, Jitendra Singh, told the media at SKICC that for the first time in the history of J&K, such a big international event was organized. He said that the Union government is very keen to promote Kashmir as the filmmakers’ paradise for future high-end tourism.
Union Tourism Minister G.K. Reddy told the media that the government will promote J&K for foreign film crews and expressed hope that private investors will get encouraged after the G20 meeting to invest in Kashmir in the tourism industry.
He said that the Union government is encouraging 100% FDI in North Eastern states and Jammu and Kashmir for promotion of the tourism industry. In the G20 summit, the tourism industry had invited many actors and filmmakers, including Oscar0winning Ram Charan for RRR film fame. He danced on stage at SKICC and was applauded by ambassadors and delegates.
Recently the J&K government has revealed figures that 1.8 crore tourists visited Jammu and Kashmir last year and have expressed hope that this will be between 2 to 2.5 crore as the tourist traffic is only increasing. Every week at Srinagar International Airport, about 600 flights touch the ground with a lot of tourists. After the G20 meeting, Union Minister G.K. Reddy said that they are ready to bring new film policy as they got a lot of feedback from the G20 countries during the working group meeting in Srinagar.