{"id":7217,"date":"2025-12-17T20:01:44","date_gmt":"2025-12-17T20:01:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/?p=7217"},"modified":"2025-12-17T20:01:44","modified_gmt":"2025-12-17T20:01:44","slug":"climate-change-threatens-kashmirs-adventure-tourism-omar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/2025\/12\/17\/climate-change-threatens-kashmirs-adventure-tourism-omar\/","title":{"rendered":"Climate change threatens Kashmir\u2019s adventure tourism: Omar"},"content":{"rendered":"

Says iconic landscapes must be preserved for future generations<\/strong><\/p>\n

Srinagar, Dec 17: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday warned that climate change poses a direct threat to Kashmir\u2019s tourism economy and winter sports industry.<\/p>\n

Speaking at the 17th Annual Convention of the Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI) at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar, the CM urged the industry to adapt with innovation and sustainable practices to ensure adventure tourism in Jammu and Kashmir remains viable through changing weather realities.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt feels like homecoming to be part of an event that celebrates the spirit of adventure,\u201d Omar said, addressing a gathering.<\/p>\n

As per the news agency\u2014Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the gathering included ATOAI President Padmashree Ajit Bajaj, J&K Tourism Department officials, Union Tourism Ministry\u2019s Suman Billah, among others.<\/p>\n

The Chief Minister began his address on a personal note, recalling the rock piece from Mount Everest presented to him at the event and said it would remain one of the most memorable gifts he had ever received. \u201cI touched the summit of Mount Everest sitting comfortably in this hall,\u201d he quipped, drawing laughter from the audience.<\/p>\n

Omar thanked ATOAI President, Ajit Bajaj, for his persistence and passion in bringing the ATOAI convention to Jammu and Kashmir. \u201cFiles in government sometimes stop moving entirely,\u201d he said, \u201cbut Bajaj\u2019s determination ensured we made it here. I\u2019d say 95% of the credit goes to him and his team.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pivoting to his core message, the Chief Minister underscored the urgent threat of climate change to Kashmir\u2019s adventure tourism. \u201cJammu and Kashmir is ideally placed as a destination for adventure tourism. We were skiing in Gulmarg before independence, when the British installed our first ski lift. But today, the reality of climate change can no longer be ignored,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

While snow remains central to Kashmir\u2019s allure, Omar said the state must diversify adventure offerings, from paragliding and trekking to whitewater rafting, mountaineering and ballooning, to make Jammu and Kashmir a \u201cyear-round adventure destination\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe recently trained a batch of paragliding instructors and pilots. Hot air ballooning has started modestly, but we hope to expand. Adventure tourism can take people into areas that wouldn\u2019t otherwise see regular tourist traffic,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

The CM said that while leisure and MICE tourism remain important, \u201cadventure tourism opens doors to unexplored geographies, creating local livelihoods and connecting communities.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stressing the balance between thrill and safety, Abdullah said, \u201cAdventure tourism is not another word for organised suicide. It\u2019s about excitement done responsibly, sustainably and repeatably. There must be adrenaline, yes, but not recklessness.\u201d<\/p>\n

He lauded ATOAI\u2019s efforts in developing national safety guidelines for adventure tourism, promising the government\u2019s full cooperation.<\/p>\n

\u201cThose who entrust their lives to us must be returned safely to their families, maybe with a little more heartbeat, but nothing more harmful than that,\u201d he shared, drawing laughter from the audience.<\/p>\n

The CM reiterated the government\u2019s commitment to supporting operators, improving safety protocols and ensuring that Kashmir remains a trusted, innovative destination for adventure seekers.<\/p>\n

Omar said the future of tourism in Jammu and Kashmir depends on sustainable action, not slogans. \u201cWe must protect the very landscapes that people come to experience. If we don\u2019t act now, the adventure tourism we enjoy today might vanish before our children get to see it. Let\u2019s ensure we pass on not just memories but mountains, snow, and rivers still alive.\u201d (KNO)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Says iconic landscapes must be preserved for future generations Srinagar, Dec 17: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday warned that climate change poses a direct threat to Kashmir\u2019s tourism economy and winter sports industry. Speaking at the 17th Annual Convention of the Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI) at the Sher-i-Kashmir […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":7218,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"jnews_override_counter":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,32],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7217","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-top-news","category-kt-front"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7217","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7217"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7217\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7219,"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7217\/revisions\/7219"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7218"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7217"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7217"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7217"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}