The picturesque region of Jammu has experienced a remarkable upswing in tourism, with nearly 50 lakh tourists visiting the area until June this year. This surge indicates a positive trend for tourism in the region, according to a government official.
Amarnath Yatra Boosts Tourism
Amidst the ongoing annual yatra to the sacred cave shrine of Amarnath in the south Kashmir Himalayas, which commenced on July 1, the number of tourists flocking to Jammu is on the rise. So far, official data reveals that 1,62,569 pilgrims have paid their respects at the cave shrine, with 72,789 pilgrims embarking on the yatra from the Jammu base camp.
Director of Tourism, Jammu, Vivekanand Rai, highlighted the significant increase in tourist footfall, stating, "Last year, over 1.4 crore people visited the Jammu province, including Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrims. This year, till June, nearly 50 lakh tourists have already arrived in the Jammu region, including those going to the Mata Vaishno Devi temple (in Jammu's Reasi district). These numbers indicate a positive trend for tourism in the region."
Digital Campaign Unveiled to Inform Amarnath Pilgrims about Must-Visit Places
To enhance the overall visitor experience and showcase the diverse tourist destinations in Jammu, the tourism department has erected numerous signboards, hoardings, and digital information boards across various parts of Jammu city. These efforts aim to entice travelers and guide them towards the region's most captivating destinations and places of pilgrimage.
Speaking about the campaign, Rai explained, "The tourism department has started a campaign through signboards and hoardings to inform Amarnath pilgrims coming in lakhs. We are informing them about the places of tourism in Jammu." Rai further added that the initiative aims to leverage the influx of Amarnath pilgrims to boost tourism in Jammu by promoting its mesmerizing attractions.
The Jammu base camp for the Amarnath pilgrimage, accommodating over 7,000 pilgrims daily, is now adorned with eye-catching hoardings and digital panels showcasing the must-visit places, including temples, adventure spots, and leisure tourism destinations.
"We are witnessing a significant increase in tourist footfall during the yatra. When the yatra was suspended for some reasons, pilgrims were taken to various destinations during their stay here," Rai shared, emphasizing the positive impact of the promotional efforts.
Despite a temporary suspension of the yatra due to heavy rains in the region, the ongoing two-month pilgrimage is expected to further stimulate tourism in the Jammu region. With over 20 digital slots strategically placed along the yatra routes, these slots continuously display videos highlighting religious and leisure destinations, captivating the attention of pilgrims like Sushma Dewan from Agra and Anurag Singh from Ranchi.
"I went to some places around Jammu, including temples, and the border area of Suchetgarh when the yatra was suspended. I came to know about the places through videos being run on the digital panels," Dewan shared.
Singh, who visited Jammu for the fourth time, expressed his appreciation, saying, "We never knew about these places despite doing the yatra for a fourth time. Now that the government has put up big hoardings of these places and digital panels, we got to know about the places. We visited some temples in Jammu."
Raminder Sanhotra, General Secretary of the Federation of Travel and Tourism Association, Jammu, welcomed the government's efforts to promote tourism in the region. However, he suggested that involving stakeholders from Jammu and outside would further amplify the positive impact.
As Jammu continues to attract an increasing number of tourists, the combination of digital campaigns and visually appealing displays of its scenic wonders is expected to boost tourism and open doors to hidden gems waiting to be explored by travelers from around the world.
Cover photo Amarnath Yatra/Deposit Photos
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