The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s participation in the Srinagar-Nalanda Dialogue has rightly highlighted the transformative role of tourism in fostering peace, employment, and sustainable development. The KCCI has made genuine and compelling demands that deserve immediate government attention. Tourism is a lifeline for thousands of families, a bridge for peace, and a tool for cultural preservation. The government must act on the chamber’s suggestions to unlock the full potential of this vital industry. The chamber’s call for promoting rural tourism, heritage destinations, craft clusters, and eco-tourism circuits is both timely and necessary. Kashmir’s unemployment rate among youth aged 15 to 29 stands at a staggering 32.8 per cent. Tourism has the capacity to absorb this workforce, provided the government creates the right conditions. The rapid growth of homestays has already shown how tourism can democratise benefits, directly connecting visitors with local communities. This model must be expanded and supported with policy incentives and infrastructure development. The KCCI’s concern over the fossil repository at Guryul Ravine is particularly significant. This site contains one of the world’s most complete geological records of the Permian-Triassic extinction event, yet it remains neglected. Kashmir lost an opportunity for international recognition due to the absence of peace and stability. Now, with improved conditions, the government must prioritise the protection, development, and promotion of this site. It could become a global attraction for geologists, researchers, and tourists alike. The commerce body has rightly invoked the teachings of Lal Ded and Sheikh-ul-Alam as guides for balancing development with ecological preservation. Tourism must not come at the cost of the environment. Sustainable tourism practices, eco-tourism circuits, and community-based income generation should be the way forward. The government must take the chamber’s suggestions seriously. Tourism has the power to address youth unemployment, promote cultural preservation, and foster peace. The revival of tourism in Kashmir is a pathway to stability and prosperity. The KCCI has shown the way. Now it is the government’s turn to act.
Every society has people who are struggling — the poor, the sick, the orphan, the widow, the unemployed, the one who has lost everything. The question is not whether such people exist....
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