SRINAGAR: Positioning Jammu and Kashmir firmly on the global tourism map, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday launched the SKÅL International Club, Kashmir Chapter in Srinagar, calling the initiative a gateway to international outreach, sustainable tourism, and deeper global linkages for the region.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah attended the launch of the SKÅL International Club, Kashmir Chapter in Srinagar, marking a significant step towards strengthening global tourism linkages and expanding international outreach for Jammu and Kashmir’s tourism sector.
Addressing the function, the Chief Minister said that SKÅL’s core values resonate deeply with the ethos of Jammu and Kashmir. “If you look at SKÅL and you look at tourism in Kashmir, you realise that there are synergies that automatically become apparent. The word SKÅL is Nordic and the translation of those four words is good health, friendship, long life and happiness,” he said.
He noted that the organisation’s founding principles reflect the most basic aspirations of human life, going beyond monetary success. “An organisation whose name comes to symbolise these four important things is not talking about profit or other day-to-day concerns. These are the things we would wish for each other—good health, friendship, long life and happiness,” he said.
The Chief Minister highlighted that SKÅL’s philosophy of “business with friends” mirrors the spirit of Jammu and Kashmir’s tourism fraternity. “Here, many of my friends in the industry may be in competition with each other, yet they remain friends. They sit together, dine together, respect each other—and that is exactly what SKÅL talks about,” he remarked.
Underscoring the growing emphasis on responsible and sustainable tourism, Omar Abdullah said that tourism must evolve in a manner that protects both people and the environment. “If tourism is not responsible and sustainable, it will not last. A cornerstone of our recent activities has been to make tourism more responsible and more sustainable,” he said.
The Chief Minister revealed that the government is preparing to develop nine new tourism destinations in J&K as a megaproject entailing huge investment. “The foundation of this project is sustainability—environmentally responsible development that involves the local community. Tourism, or any industry that does not benefit locals, is an industry that will not survive,” he said.
Speaking about the resilience of the people of J&K despite recurring challenges, he noted, “We are nothing if not resilient. Yes, there is darkness, but it will not remain forever. Winters last for a few months; after that, snow melts and spring arrives. My desire, my wish, and my effort is that this spring lasts for years.”
Reflecting on the past turbulence in the tourism sector, he said, “We have seen a lot of ups and downs in J&K tourism. Now I want you to see only the upward trend. The relationship between SKÅL and Kashmir Tourism formalised today will benefit both SKÅL and the tourism industry here.”
The Chief Minister thanked SKÅL International and its leadership for choosing Kashmir for the new chapter, expressing hope that this marks the beginning of a lasting, fruitful partnership. “I hope this will be a great start to a new relationship, and that we will get to host such programmes again and again. You came and encouraged us,” he added.
MLA Zadibal Tanvir Sadiq, National President SKÅL Sanjeev Mehra, Director SKÅL NSN Mohan, several SKÅL members, tourism industry stakeholders, and senior officers were present at the launch event.
On the occasion, board members and founder members took their oath, followed by pinning and certificate presentation ceremonies.
Meanwhile, in the wake of the Pahalgam attack and Delhi blast, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday said 2025 has not been good for tourism, but pinned hope on snowfall reviving the sector and helping attract more visitors to the valley.
“This year has not been easy for us from a tourism point of view. Be it Pahalgam, Delhi, and Nowgam, it has had a huge impact on our tourism,” Abdullah told reporters here on the sidelines of a tourism event.
“The key to (increasing) footfall is snowfall. We had a totally dry November. It is hoped that God will bless us and we will have good snowfall in December. When it snows, we think places like Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Sonamarg, and Srinagar will benefit from that, but it is up to God. The sooner it snows, the sooner our winter tourism season will start,” he said.
The preparations and promotions that needed to be done by the government have been done, the chief minister said.
“Promotion is the main thing in tourism. The more promotion and marketing you can do, the more people can come,” he added.
Abdullah stated that while tourists were visiting the valley, the numbers were lower.
“Tourists are coming, maybe not in the numbers that we want them to, but they are coming. When we started the Chrysanthemum garden, tourism got a boost, and when it snows, more tourists will start coming,” he said.
He expressed hope for an increase in tourists around Christmas and New Year.
On April 22, 26 persons, mostly tourists, were killed in a terror attack in Baisaran meadows at the famous tourist resort of Pahalgam in south Kashmir. On November 10, a car blast took place near the Red Fort in Delhi, killing 15 people, while an accidental blast in Nowgam police station here on November 14 killed 9 people.
