India

By Larry Habegger | Permalink | No Comments | March 29th, 2005 | Trackback

Hopes are high for a rebound in tourism to Kashmir now that a cease-fire with Pakistan has entered its second year. One of the most powerful Kashmiri insurgent groups trying to wrest control of the state from India and align with Pakistan announced it now welcomes Indian and foreign tourists to Kashmir but said they should respect Islamic principles. Bus service across the divided state is set to begin April 7. The Indian army is vacating hotels in Srinigar it has occupied for more than ten years to make room for the expected surge in tourism, and many hotels are being renovated. State government officials are considering opening the Jammu-Srinigar route to more private airlines in anticipation of increased demand. Last summer 370,000 tourists came to Kashmir, almost double the number of the previous year.

In other news, the Indian government is planning to abolish the requirement for special permits for foreigners to visit states in the northeast and elsewhere, including Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Sikkim, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the Lakshadweep Islands and certain areas of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. These restrictions create difficulties for foreigners who want to visit these areas because the permits must be obtained six weeks in advance, and minimize tourist travel to regions where the government is trying to increase tourism.

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