'Jammu and Kashmir extremely safe destination for women travelling alone'

Thanks to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), tourism honchos are cashing in on the positive indicators about women safety to promote the sector in order to ensure the increased footfalls of tourists to the valley.

The 2016 NCRB report has revealed that Jammu and Kashmir recorded zero crimes against the foreigners, bringing smiles on the sullen faces of the tourism players in the valley.

According to NCRB report, 382 crimes were committed against foreigners in India, of which 154 were committed in Delhi alone. Accordingly, 12 foreigners were murdered, 19 raped, 19 robbed and 38 foreign women assaulted in the country.

“J&K is an extremely safe destination for women travelling alone. The feedback from women travelers from all over has been tremendous with respect to how safe they felt there”, said Sarmad Hafeez, Secretary, Jammu and Kashmir Tourism department.

Post Burhan Wani killing unrest has cost the hotel industry Rs 1100 crore. Curfews, hartals, stone pelting and encounters have shaken the confidence of the tourists who have given Kashmir a miss after the killing of Burhan Wani on July 8 last year

Figures reveal around 7.9 lakh tourists visited Kashmir this year. They include over 2.6 lakh Amarnath yatries who visited the cave shrine this year.  Last year 11.27 lakh tourists visit Kashmir most of them before July 8 when Burhan Wani was killed.

Official figures reveal that the tourism sector suffered a loss of Rs 3000 crore due to the unrest in 2016. Official data revealed that around three lakh tourists had visited Kashmir between July 2015 and September 2015. 

The footfalls of tourist, however, were reduced to a trickle in the corresponding period of 2016 because of the post-Burhan Wani killing unrest.  Tourism players are hoping that NCRB figures will help in diluting the negative perceptions about Kashmir. 

 “People have apprehensions about visiting Kashmir, but I must tell you that Jammu and Kashmir is one of the safest tourist destinations”, said Priya Sethi, Jammu and Kashmir Minister of State for tourism.