{"id":7220,"date":"2025-12-17T20:04:46","date_gmt":"2025-12-17T20:04:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/?p=7220"},"modified":"2025-12-17T20:04:46","modified_gmt":"2025-12-17T20:04:46","slug":"adventure-tourism-empowering-border-remote-regions-suman-billa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/2025\/12\/17\/adventure-tourism-empowering-border-remote-regions-suman-billa\/","title":{"rendered":"Adventure tourism empowering border, remote regions: Suman Billa"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u2018It allows local youth to lead their lives without migrating in search of jobs\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

Srinagar, Dec 17: Additional Secretary and Director General, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, Suman Billa on Wednesday said adventures are emerging as vital pillar of India\u2019s tourism economy.<\/p>\n

Speaking at the 17th Annual Convention of the Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI) at SKICC here, Billa, according to the news agency Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said, \u201cThe adventure tourism is empowering border and remote regions.\u201d<\/p>\n

Billa said holding the event in Kashmir was \u201ca strong statement of confidence and resilience in the destination\u201d after challenging years for the sector.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is propitious that we are meeting here in Srinagar. This convention is a reflection of the confidence in the destination, the resilience of its people, and the renewal we are witnessing,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Highlighting the socio-economic significance of adventure tourism, Billa said it generates \u201chigh levels of employment, particularly for our youth,\u201d and crucially, creates jobs in remote and border regions that otherwise remain outside mainstream development.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdventure tourism sustains border economies and allows local youth to lead their lives where they reside, without having to migrate in search of jobs,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Billa added that the sector also helps disperse visitor flows away from overcrowded tourist hubs, reducing environmental pressure while expanding economic opportunities.<\/p>\n

Calling safety the most important, non-negotiable pillar of adventure tourism, Billa said, \u201cSafety builds trust and trust is the foundation of our competitiveness.\u201d<\/p>\n

He stressed that all operators must strictly follow standard operating procedures, ensure certified guides, use approved equipment and adopt continuous learning from incidents and near-misses.<\/p>\n

He also called for the establishment of destination management systems where government, operators and service providers coordinate to manage carrying capacity, seasonality and emergency response planning effectively.<\/p>\n

Outlining his vision, Billa proposed developing \u2018structured Himalayan trekking trails\u2019 with graded difficulty levels, designated campsites, and proper exit points.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis doesn\u2019t require large funds but better planning and coordination,\u201d he said, stressing that custodianship of such trails must rest with local communities to ensure long-term sustainability.<\/p>\n

He further suggested expanding into soft adventure tourism, such as light treks, cycling and moderate outdoor activities to attract larger markets and reduce dependence on seasonal, high-end segments.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot everyone wants to scale Everest. Many want to experience nature through accessible adventure that\u2019s where the commercial opportunity lies,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Billa also called for creating a national registry of trained adventure professionals to make talent easily accessible to operators across the country and for introducing structured certification programs that allow guides to work across states.<\/p>\n

He also urged governments to streamline approvals. \u201cWe need clear-cut rules and a framework-based system where permissions within identified adventure zones are automatic, as long as conditions are met,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Billa proposed setting up predictable rescue protocols, local response teams and working closely with the insurance industry to ensure full coverage for both domestic and international adventurers.<\/p>\n

Calling for stronger government\u2013industry partnerships, Billa said both must share responsibility, the government to provide infrastructure and frameworks and the industry to ensure professionalism and self-regulation.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll adventure tourism must be rooted in sustainability. Communities must be seen as partners, not bystanders. Waste management, net-zero practices and responsible tourism should define the way forward,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Billa also said the Indian model of adventure tourism must rest on three essential pillars, \u2018safety, sustainability and resilience\u2019. \u201cMeeting here in Srinagar, under the leadership of our Honourable Chief Minister, sends a strong national and international message that tourism in India is alive, thriving and growing stronger despite challenges. If tourism has to grow, adventure tourism must be one of its most vital pillars,\u201d he said. (KNO)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u2018It allows local youth to lead their lives without migrating in search of jobs\u2019 Srinagar, Dec 17: Additional Secretary and Director General, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, Suman Billa on Wednesday said adventures are emerging as vital pillar of India\u2019s tourism economy. Speaking at the 17th Annual Convention of the Adventure Tour Operators Association […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":7221,"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-7220","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\/7220","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=7220"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7220\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7222,"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7220\/revisions\/7222"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7221"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7220"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7220"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7220"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}