Day 2: G20 tourism meeting in Srinagar, people laud development in J-K

SRINAGAR: The second day of the G20 Tourism Working Group (TWG) meeting began on Tuesday in Srinagar.

The meetings are being held at Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar from May 22-24.

The people of Kashmir welcomed the G20 summit meetings which aim to boost the tourism and business sector. The delegates are likely to visit the various famous places in Srinagar.

In today’s meeting, the delegates are expected to hold multiple sessions at SKICC. During the day, the delegates will be taken to a few locations including Nishat Garden, Cheshma Shahi, Pari Mahal, Kashmir Arts Emporium and Polo View Market. A grand dinner will also be hosted.

The mega G20 tourism meet in Srinagar has clearly caught the attention of international media, with many of them highlighting India’s efforts of showcasing the restoration of stability and normalcy in Kashmir.

However, the first day of the G20 tourism meeting began on Monday despite a boycott from China and Pakistan, Taiwan News reported.

India under its G20 Presidency is currently holding meetings across the country in the lead-up to the G20 Summit scheduled to be held in September in New Delhi.

The G20 delegations arrived at Sheikh-ul Alam International Airport in Srinagar as the mega event began. They were greeted by rows of lamp posts illuminated in the colours of the Indian national flag and billboards featuring the G20 logo, Nikkei Asia reported.

India is hosting a significant international event in Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370.

The excitement of authorities over Kashmir’s role in India’s G20 presidency is palpable, Nikkei Asia reported. Footpaths have been renovated and roadside walls have been painted in peach and white. The development comes as Srinagar undergoes a makeover under a smart city scheme.

India’s G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant on Monday said that there cannot be a better place than Kashmir for shooting movies.

“You will see a vast number of films being shot here. Much like many Indian films are being shot abroad. But, in India, let me tell you, having travelled across the world, there is and I can tell you very sincerely that there is the finest destination anywhere in the world to shoot a movie and to shoot a romance that it cannot be a better place than Kashmir,” Amitabh Kant said at the third G20 Tourism Working Group (TWG) meeting in Srinagar.

For this three-day G20 Summit, from May 22-24, Kashmir is under a three-tier security grid for aerial surveillance drone monitoring is put in place. National Security Guard (NSG) and MARCOS (military unit Marine Commandos) have been deployed around the venue. Jammu and Kashmir Police’s special operation group (SOG) have been deployed at several places to give security cover to prevent any terror incident.

Spain, Singapore, Mauritius, Nigeria, South Africa, Brazil and India are among seven countries to discuss the global perspective of film tourism, as well as, its economic benefits and impact in J-K.