Tourism Deptt felicitates Tourism Icons.

SRINAGAR: The Directorate of Tourism, Kashmir today felicitated the tourism players who have exhibited exemplary honesty, dedication and commitment in their trade and in the service of tourists. The felicitations were done in collaboration with a local tourist trade body, Nigeen Tourist Trade Association.

These tourism players have either rescued the tourists from very extreme life threatening situations or returned back cash and valuable running in lakhs to the tourists who had lost it during their travel to Kashmir.

Addressing a function here in this regard, Director Tourism, Kashmir, Dr G N Itoo described these icons as the pride of the whole tourism fraternity. He said the biggest branding of Kashmir tourism is the honesty and fair play displayed by these tourism players in the service of tourists.

The Director Tourism said Kashmir has been known globally for its hospitality and warm nature of its people. He impressed upon the tourism stakeholders to play their role in upholding these traits. He complimented the tourism players who were felicitated today for their contribution saying it has put the head of every local tourism player high and they take pride in them.

In his address, Chairman, NTTA, Haji Manzoor Ahmad Wangnoo said the aim of holding the felicitation ceremony was to strengthen the concepts of fair play and honesty in the tourism trade.

Among those who were felicitated today include Riyaz Ahmad Deedar, a ponywalla who had rescued a tourist who was lost and had felt unconscious in the Frozen Lake of Gulmarg, Muhammad Sharief Chachi and Ghulam Rasool Mir, tourist guides of Tangmarg who had returned back cash amounting to Rs. 40 lakh and other important documents to the tourists from Malaysia who had lost it in their area.

Mohammad Rafiq Sheikh of Mahyou, Tangmarg was also felicitated today who had found Rs. 15 lakh and four mobile phones of a tourist and returned back to him. Similarly, Nissar Ahmad, Mohammad Ashraf Dar, Mohammad Iqbal Ganai, Muhammad Shafi and Zubair Ahmad, drivers from Srinagar airport were also felicitated. They had found cash worth lakhs and cell phones in their vehicles left by the tourists and returned back the same to them. Muhammad Ramzan Wangnoo, who had recently found cash and valuable documents and returned them back to its owner tourist was also felicitated today.

The felicitations included a shawl, memento and a certificate of honour.

Officers of the Tourism Department and representatives of various tour travel operators and officers of the Tourism Department were present on the occasion.