The Department of Tourism Studies, Central University of Kashmir (CUK) celebrated “World Tourism Day” here on Thursday.
Chief Executive Officer, Gulmarg Development Authority (GDA), Mr Syed Haneef Balkhi, Head Department of Tourism, Prof. Syed Fayaz, former Director General Tourism and Chairman INTACH, Saleem Begh, Manager Operations, Jammu and Kashmir Cable Car Corporation, M Anwar, adjunct faculty, G R Ghani, faculty members and students were also present on the occasion.
This year’s theme for celebrating the “World Tourism Day” was “tourism and digital transformation and tourism and cultural protection.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Executive Officer, Gulmarg Development Authority, Syed Haneef Balkhi, hailed the Department of Tourism Studies for celebrating the day at Gulmarg. He said the GDA is making strenuous efforts to make Gulmarg polythene and garbage free. “We have established two waste treatment plants and the trash collected from the hotels and dustbins is treated their only,” he said adding that due care is being taken vis-à-vis environmental concerns. Balkhi said the GDA would provide full support and cooperation to the Department of Tourism Studies in all its events and programmes, to be conducted in the world famous Gulmarg.
Earlier, while addressing the gathering, Head Department of Tourism, Prof. Syed Fayaz, said the main aim and objective of celebrating the day in Gulmarg was to sensitize the people, especially the tourist regarding the damage caused to the fragile environment of the tourist destinations. “The authorities should ensure that all the tourist destinations are made polythene free zones and the garbage and other waste material is disposed off in an environment friendly way,” he said. Prof. Fayyaz said the students of the department are proactively engaged in creating awareness among the masses regarding the ill effects of pollution in the tourist destinations of the Valley.
Former Director General Tourism and Chairman INTACH, Saleem Beigh, Manager Operations, Jammu and Kashmir Cable Car Corporation, M Anwar, adjunct faculty, G R Ghani, while sharing their thoughts on the occasion, underscored the need of creating awareness among the masses particularly in children regarding protection of environment and surroundings at the tourist places.
The department students Imad ud Din Malik and Fizan Firdous conducted the programme proceedings while as Assistant Professor, Ashiq Najar proposed the vote of thanks
The students of the department also performed cultural programme and a skit about the importance of keeping all the tourist destinations in the State of Jammu and Kashmir free from polythene and other waste material. Later, the students also conducted a cleanliness drive in the Gulmarg.
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