Excelsior Correspondent
MUMBAI, Jan 16: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today addressed leading stakeholders from the travel and trade sector in Mumbai, calling upon them to partner with the government in promoting Jammu & Kashmir as a safe, vibrant and all-season tourism destination.
Addressing travel agents, tour operators and representatives of travel associations from Maharashtra and Gujarat, the Chief Minister underlined that the outreach was not about selling the destination, but about strengthening trust and partnership.
“Today I have not come to promote Jammu and Kashmir tourism. I have not come to sell J&K as a tourist destination amongst you. Today I have not come to talk about the beauty of J&K. As much as I know about the beauty of Kashmir, you also know it,”
The Chief Minister said, while stressing the long-standing bond between Jammu & Kashmir and the travel fraternity of Maharashtra and Gujarat.
The Chief Minister emphasized the vital role played by Maharashtra in supporting and strengthening J&K’s tourism sector over the years. He particularly acknowledged the solidarity and continued support extended by Maharashtra-based travel agencies in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack last year, noting that their confidence helped restore tourist inflow and trust in the destination.
The event, organised as part of the Maharashtra and Gujarat Travel Fraternity Outreach in Mumbai, also witnessed the felicitation of prominent travel agents and associations for their contribution towards promoting Jammu & Kashmir tourism. The Chief Minister highlighted the diverse tourism offerings of the region, including leisure, adventure, pilgrimage and wellness tourism, and reiterated the government’s commitment to ensuring safety, infrastructure development and a tourist-friendly environment.
The outreach programme was attended by Advisor to the Chief Minister, Nasir Aslam Wani; Member of Parliament Gurinder Singh Shammi; MLA Gulmarg Peerzada Farooq Ahmed Shah; Director Tourism Jammu Vikas Gupta; and heads and representatives of major travel bodies from Maharashtra and Gujarat.
Meanwhile Chief Minister visited the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT) campus at the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), Mumbai, to explore avenues for institutional collaboration and student exchange between IICT and the Government of Jammu & Kashmir.
The visit, held at the IICT-NFDC Campus, was hosted by Dr. Vishwas Deoskar, Chief Executive Officer, IICT, along with Munjal Shroff, Governing Council Member, IICT.
During the visit, the Chief Minister was taken on a structured walkthrough of the IICT main campus, providing an overview of the institute’s academic ecosystem and advanced technology infrastructure. As part of the programme, he attended a curated audiovisual presentation at the Rangayan Preview Theatre, which showcased IICT’s vision, academic framework, and capabilities in creative and immersive technologies.
This was followed by a live demonstration at the Anubhuti Drishya Immersive Studio Lab, where applications of augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and mixed reality (MR) were showcased through hands-on experiential interactions.
The visit also featured a Digital Twin demonstration at the Photogrammetry Studio, where a live 3D photogrammetry scan was conducted to create a digital avatar, highlighting the practical applications of emerging immersive technologies.
A strategic discussion session was held to deliberate potential areas of collaboration between IICT and the Government of Jammu & Kashmir. The discussions focused on student exchange and institutional cooperation, particularly in skill development and capacity building in AVGC and emerging creative technologies; digital heritage and cultural preservation through immersive tools; and the development of a collaborative startup incubation and innovation ecosystem aimed at empowering youth from Jammu & Kashmir.
Speaking during the interaction, the Chief Minister said, “If we want Jammu and Kashmir to become an attractive destination for filmmaking, then human talent and post-production capability must be created locally. That is where a relationship with an institution like IICT becomes important for us.”
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Vishwas Deoskar, CEO, IICT said that they look forward to exploring meaningful collaborations that can benefit students and young talent from Jammu & Kashmir by enabling skill development, fostering innovation, and creating sustainable employment and entrepreneurship opportunities.”
Following the discussions, the Chief Minister was escorted to the NFDC Bharat Pavilion and Museum, which chronicles India’s cinematic and creative heritage. The visit highlighted the role of the NFDC Museum as a national cultural repository dedicated to preserving, presenting, and celebrating India’s film and creative legacy, before the Chief Minister proceeded to his onward engagements at the NFDC campus.
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