( CM Omar Abdullah to inaugurate the two-day event on 14 April, the event will be followed by FAM trips)
BY DEBAJYOTI CHAKRABORTY
KOLKATA | 3 APRIL 2026
The Department of Tourism of Jammu and Kashmir is organising two days Kashmir Travel Mart 2026 with the objective of promoting tourism collaboration and strengthening partnerships among the States and Union Territories across the country from 14 April at Sher -i- Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar and more than 25 states and union territories are expected to participate, said Mr. Peer Zahid Ahmad, Deputy Director Tourism of Kashmir.
In an exclusive interview to The Travel and Tourism Times at the sidelines of the India International Travel Mart (IITM) at Biswa Bangla Convention Centre in Kolkata, where J&K was a partner state, Mr. Peer Zahid Ahmad had led the travel agents and tour operators delegation team and was present since inauguration of the event and in all the three days meeting with the various stakeholders of the Eastern part of India and travel trade leaders of Kolkata explaining how tourism is fast reviving back to its past glory.
“ The Jammu and Kashmir Tourism is organizing the Kashmir Travel Mart in Srinagar at SKIC Srinagar from 14th and 15th April 2026 and more than 25 states are invited and many exhibitors are participating in it. It’s going to be one of the grandest shows that the Department of Tourism is putting up this year to boost tourism,”he added.
The Sher – i – Kashmir International Convention Centre is strategically located in the capital Srinagar on the banks of the majestic Dal Lake and the Kashmir Travel Mart will be held there for two days. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who is leading from the forefront by visiting each and every nook and corner of the country telling the stories how the tourism is reviving back slowly on the Paradise on Earth is set to inaugurate the two days KTM 2026.
There is already tremendous enthusiasm amongst the travel and trade stakeholders in Jammu and Kashmir over these two days KTM 2026 as the exhibitors are getting ready for the final preparation to showcase Jammu and Kashmir as India’s top domestic and inbound tourism destination.
“Then we’ll be having the business companies, the DMCs and all. The present scenario of tourism in Jammu and Kashmir is encouraging and tourists are coming from all parts of India. The numbers are increasing day by day. On the eve of New Year, we witnessed a
record number of tourists footfall at Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Sonmarg. We had a lot of tourists there and even as of now we get because we were fortunate to have late snow. Firstly, after a hiatus from I guess February for some 20-30 days, then we got fresh snowfall which attracted a lot of tourists again for skiing in Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Sonmarg,” added Mr. Peer Zahid Ahmad.
“And Kashmir is an all-season destination. Spring is on peak. We have opened recently the world-famous Tulip Garden. We are getting a lot of tourists there. It’s a treat to watch. We have the Almond Blossom Festival in Badamwari . The way we plan every year, we are doing it this year also. We expect tourists and tourists are already coming there,”he said.
Homestays, we have a policy for homestays and new Homestays are being registered also in offbeat destinations adding rooms to lesser known but beautiful scenic spots for the tourists. The Gondola ride is one of the catch in Gulmarg.
It’s one of the favourite thing for the tourists to do. And I think every day, it’s always full. It’s like, at times, it’s difficult to get a ticket there. We have long queues, you must have seen in the news. And thereafter also, we have long queues there. It shows that tourists are
coming for a gondola ride. And the revenue itself shows that how many people book the gondola.
In addition on 16 April, the J&K tourism department is also organising a special craft safaris, Dal Lake Cruise and familiarisation tours to various destinations like Pahalgam, Gulmarg, Doodhpathri, Sonmarg etc. The participants and representatives will comprise government officers , tourism stakeholders and allied industry members from participating states and union territories.
Boarding, lodging and stalls are being provided free of cost by the J & K government. There will be cultural performances also by the local artists.
The J&K Tourism board has also acknowledged the various travel agents associations of the country like Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI), Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI), Skal International India, Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI) etc for extending their all out support by visiting J&K after the tragic Pahalgam incident to restore back the faith confidence amongst the people of the country and to send a message to the tourism board that the nation is behind them in the hour of crisis.
Advertisement:
Add Comment