A two-day workshop on practicing responsible tourism in Himalayas organized by the centre for hospitality and tourism, school of management studies of Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University (BGSBU), in collaboration with World Wide Fund for Nature- India and department of wildlife protection.
Speaking on the occasion, Vice-Chancellor BGSBU, Prof Javed Musarrat, said, “Ecotourism has emerged as one of the most important sectors of the international tourism industry.” He urged the participants to come forward with their valuable inputs for decision making agencies in order to formulate and implement an inclusive ecotourism policy for the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
Chief Wildlife Warden, Suresh Gupta, spoke on several various initiatives of the wildlife department to promote ecotourism in the state. He talked about the challenges faced by the Wildlife department and sought cooperation of the general masses for effective implantation of various initiatives taken up by the government for promoting ecotourism.
Chief Conservator of Forest, Ecotourism, J Frankoi highlighted the draft ecotourism policy of the state and invited suggestions from various stakeholders to come up with a long term policy framework for the development of ecotourism in the state.
Registrar, Dr Ashfaq Ahmed Zarri, said that one of the important outcomes of the workshop was to formulate a consultative group that will advise the government towards a comprehensive policy framework and an action plan to promote and develop ecotourism.
On the occasion a panel discussion was conducted Dr Pankaj Chandan.
Organising secretary of event, Dr Danish Iqbal Raina presented the welcome address, where as workshop coordinator Vinay Kumar and Sabeha Mufti also spoke during the event.
