Omar Abdullah Urges Repeal of Travel Advisories for Jammu and Kashmir

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah advocates for the Ministry of External Affairs to influence Western nations to rescind advisories against traveling to Jammu and Kashmir, to prove the region's improved situation. He emphasizes repositioning the area as a 'value tourism' destination rather than 'volume tourism'.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah called on the Ministry of External Affairs to use its diplomatic influence to persuade Western countries to retract their travel advisories against visiting Jammu and Kashmir. He believes this will serve as a clear testament to the region's improved security situation.

Addressing a tourism event in the national capital, Abdullah, who also oversees the tourism portfolio, advocated repositioning Jammu and Kashmir as a destination focusing on 'value tourism' as opposed to 'volume tourism'. He suggested that the tourism policy might need either adjustments or a complete overhaul to accommodate recent changes.

Abdullah highlighted the importance of removing these advisories to reassure international visitors and revive tourism, noting that existing advisories render visitor insurance policies null, discouraging foreign travel. He underscored the vital role of the MEA in achieving this and detailed ongoing efforts to attract South Indian film productions to the UT.

(With inputs from agencies.)