Tourism departments floats norms, spends Rs 2 Cr on FAM tour

Saahil Suhail

 Early Times Report

 Anantnag, October 29: Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Department is understood have spent around Rupees 2 Cr on recently concluded mega FAM (Familiarization) tour. The department however has allegedly floated norms to benefit blue-eyed event managing companies and hoteliers.

According to sources, the department instead issuing tenders for the event have roped in some event management companies for organizing the different programs at Pahalgam, Gulmarg and in Srinagar.

“Tenders weren’t floated for the event which means tourism department will make payments to some blue-eyed event management companies and hoteliers,” they said.

Tourism department had empanelled three local companies for organizing different programs and events on behalf of Director Tourism Kashmir but all three companies and the empanelment process is under scanner as administrative department is enquiring the issue therefore couldn’t be engaged.

A tourism officer told Early Times that event management companies weren’t hired for FAM tour instead tourism department directly hired transportation and booked hotels directly on minimum rates. “cultural programs were organized by cultural academy,” he informed.  

According to the documents accessed by Early Times the money being spent on FAM Tour, beginning from 25th of this month, will be deducted from the amount kept for discovery Channel ad-promoting film.

 Documents available with this newspaper reads, “It has been decided that Kashmir Autumn FAM tour shall be organized w.e.f 25th to 27th October approx. (approximately) at a cost of Rs 2.00 crores. The expenditure on this account shall be borne by the Director Tourism Kashmir out of publicity and advertising grants of 2018. The provision for this event shall be made out of the provision earlier kept for the documentary to be produced by the Discovery Channel.”

 Important to mention here, Discovery Channel is an American pay television channel and is the third most widely distributed subscription channel in the United States, behind TBS and The Weather Channel. Discovery Channel reaches 431 million homes in 170 countries through 29 network brands in 33 languages.

 According to the details, Director Tourism Kashmir had extended invitation to almost 150 guests which include guests from Doordarshan, Radio, Director Information and PR of different states, National Tour operators, Media Fraternity (Print and Electronic Media), Travel bloggers and writers across the nation. Tourism department arranged to and fro air tickets, boarding, lodging and local transportation for visiting guests.

Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Development Corporation (JKTDC), Sher-e-Kashmir International Convocation Center (SKICC) and private hoteliers were roped in and asked to facilitate the visiting guests at Pahalgam, Gulmarg and Srinagar.

Visiting guests arrived in Srinagar on 25th of October. Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satypal Malik attended the welcome ceremony at SKICC.

Director Toursim Kashmir, Tassaduq Geelani said that Tourism department hosted 3-day Familiarization (FAM) tour of about 100 delegates in an effort to "remove negative perception about Kashmir."