JKHARA meets Director Tourism to discuss registration concerns of hospitality sector

Srinagar, Mar 11: The Jammu & Kashmir Hotel and Restaurant Association (JKHARA) held a productive meeting with Raja Yaqoob Farooq, Director of Tourism, to address pressing concerns facing the hospitality industry in the Valley.

According to the statement, the meeting focused primarily on streamlining registration procedures and reducing regulatory burdens on hoteliers and restaurant owners.

The JKHARA delegation was led by President Babar Chowdhary, accompanied by Sheikh Imran (Junior Vice President), Shafi Beigh (Joint Secretary General), Saddam Aijaz Bhat (Core Committee Member), and Nasreen Ansari (Treasurer).

During the discussions, Babar Chowdhary highlighted the challenges posed by current registration requirements, particularly the annual submission of magistrate-signed affidavits, which he proposed eliminating. The association also advocated for extending the validity period of tourism registration certificates and simplifying the renewal process.

The delegation expressed concerns regarding the difficulties faced by hotel and restaurant owners in obtaining registrations due to time-consuming verification processes. They emphasized the need for industrial benefits to be extended to the tourism sector, support for modern tent facilities, improvements in public conveniences, construction of sewage treatment plants, and reasonable permissions for renovations of hospitality establishments.

Director Tourism Kashmir gave the delegation a patient hearing and promised to escalate these legitimate concerns to higher authorities. He assured the delegation of 10-year validity for Tourism Registration Certificates and streamlining the renewal process.

The Director expressed complete support for the industry’s concerns and cordially engaged with JKHARA members throughout the meeting. The discussion concluded on a positive note, with Director Tourism providing assurances of active consideration and favorable outcomes.