Editorial | Anticipated G20 Summit Goes Underway! 

Well the much anticipated 3^rd G-20 Tourism Working Group Meeting has finally gone underway in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The highly ambitious decision by GoI to hold the event in this part of the world notwithstanding resistance shown by few neighboring countries, will expectedly have far reaching consequences to alter the destiny of the local populace who otherwise have been caught in a quagmire for many decades now. The ongoing meeting happens to be the first major international event in Jammu and Kashmir since the constitutional and political developments of August 2019. This also is for the first time in the past 70 years that J&K would be hosting an international event of this magnanimity and cynosure. The delegate members from the thriving global economies, who arrived to a warm welcome on Monday, are holding thorough deliberations on the five key priority areas which include Green Tourism, Digitalization, Skills, MSMEs and Destination Management – which will ultimately bring the focus of people back to this picturesque terrain aptly known as ‘Paradise on Earth’. Apart from member countries, the GoI has roped in several other countries which include Bangladesh, Egypt, Mauritius, Netherlands, Nigeria, Oman, Singapore, Spain, and UAE, to be a part of the gala Summit. The 3-day event provides Jammu and Kashmir a chance to exhibit its market prospects, eco-tourism ventures, and cultural assets to the leading global nations and also offers a chance to the administration of Jammu & Kashmir to consolidate its position vis-a-vis the developments post August 2019. The local populace genuinely expects the event of this level to change the things for good and give the much needed fillip and boost to the people-friendly measures to help Kashmir regain its position back on the wish list of travelers from within and outside India.