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The Third Tourism Working Group (TWG) meeting of the G20 grouping of the world’s largest economies recently concluded in Srinagar. This G20 meet is the first historical event organised after the abrogation of article 370 and article 35A as well as after the bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories – namely Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

The sectors of tourism and handloom and handicrafts of Jammu and Kashmir will likely get a boost due to this G20 meeting. In fact, the educated youth of the UT will get employ-ment opportunities and this is going to help the UT in combating the problem of growing unemployment and this in fact will

be a big favour for the local population. The people of Jammu and Kashmir welcomed the G20 event. Various stake-holders from the film industry are excited about the potential of this region and have stated that the recently concluded G 20 tourism meet will help to tap the tourism potential of the region.  

While inaugurating the G20 meet in Srinagar, Manoj Sinha, Lieutenant Governor of Jammu & Kashmir said, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Jammu & Kashmir will soon find its place in the top 50 tourist destinations in the world and it will be on the travel bucket list of global travellers. J&K is developing the country’s largest book village on the banks of Wular lake as the aim is to make the countryside and popular destinations more sustainable and preserve the beauty of fascinating heritage sites.

The G20 delegates called it a unique experience and appealed to tourists around the world to visit Kashmir. A Nigerian delegate said that she believed that tourism will bring in economic prosperity for Kashmir and wished to visit the Taj Mahal if she ever came back to India.

Gustavo, a delegate from Brazil said, “I love it, it is a beautiful place, a nice experience, and I am really enjoying it. The people here are very nice and very welcoming.”

Simon Wong, Ambassador of Singapore, who was among the delegates visiting the region said, “Very beautiful experience, loving it here. Even though there is a little bit of rain, we really love it. This is truly the heaven of earth.”

It is pertinent to mention here that a three-tier security system was in place during the summit and yet China, Egypt & Turkey avoided the summit, citing security reasons.