Govt takes measures to boost heli-tourism market in J&K

SRINAGAR: The Government of Jammu and Kashmir, with the help of the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation, is trying to promote heli-tourism here. “The aim of the government is to tap the high-end tourists especially those from the corporate world so that they hold their business summits here,” Secretary Tourism Sarmad Hafeez said.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha recently addressed the 4th edition of Heli-India Summit here at SKICC in Srinagar city. It was organized by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India, with the support of the Government of J&K, Pawan Hans Ltd. and FICCI. Talking to the media, Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, Union Civil Aviation Minister, said in Srinagar that this summit is a historic moment for J&K. He assured that expansion of helicopter services would be done in Jammu and Kashmir, especially with an eye on tourist destinations.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, while talking to media after he spoke at the summit, said that there is a lot of scope to give boost to the heli-tourism market in the UT. He said during the summit that he has invited industry captains to be partners to give a boost to heli-tourism here. Giving figures, the J&K administration has recently said that Srinagar airport is now getting a record number of flights each day. “Within a year, from 20-25 daily flights, today 80 to 100 flights are operating at Srinagar airport every day,” Lt Governor Manoj Sinha was quoted by the official spokesman. This summit in Srinagar city has given new hope to the stakeholders of tourism to get high-end tourists to different tourist destinations here.
If heli-tourism gets a boost, it will also bring on the tourism map all the new 75 tourist destinations recently opened by the LG administration as the footfall of tourists increase. The summit was held in Srinagar city with an aim to create a world-class helicopter manufacturing ecosystem in India; promote tourism in the Himalayan states by providing uninterrupted helicopter services to the tourist hotspots; encourage Helicopter-based emergency medical services and enhancing the role of helicopters in supporting other industries.
Secretary Tourism Sarmad Hafeez of Jammu and Kashmir said that it has been a mega event held in Srinagar and the helicopter services, if enhanced by the Union Civil Aviation Ministry, will be a game changer for tourism here.