Aiming to boost tourism in the region, the autonomous Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) region on Tuesday inaugurated its first airline.
Essentially flying helicopters instead of jets in a region that lacks commercial landing strips, the vertical landing and takeoff capability of helicopters will make it easier for aircraft to transport people between destinations.
Kashmir Air Service was inaugurated by President Dr. Arif Alvi on Tuesday at Azad Jammu and Kashmir Bagh. Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Sardar Tanveer Ilyas was also present on this occasion.
He said that Azad Jammu and Kashmir has been blessed with immense natural beauty and tourism opportunities.
He encouraged other private sector players to step forward and help the tourism sector of Azad Jammu and Kashmir to realize its true potential.
Kashmir Air is a privately owned company that will start commercial helicopter flights to Azad Jammu and Kashmir and other northern areas of Pakistan.
President Alvi also urged the Azad Jammu and Kashmir government to formulate tourism-friendly policies to promote sustainable and eco-friendly tourism as well as facilitate private sector investment.
He said that tourism has become the backbone of many developing economies of the world and is considered an important tool for earning foreign exchange, creating employment opportunities, accelerating growth and reducing economic disparity.
Alvi called for an integrated approach to tourism planning in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, adding that apart from establishing linkages between stakeholders, businesses, resources and tourism activities, economic, social and environmental aspects of tourism in the region should be considered. Effects should be carefully evaluated.
The President said that Pakistan has immense human resources in the form of youth and women who with relevant skills and training can become an asset to the national economy in the future.
He emphasized on the need to impart technical and vocational skills and training to the youth of Azad Jammu and Kashmir in the field of tourism and hospitality to provide gainful employment to the youth especially women in their own region.
He said that the adoption of IT tools and artificial intelligence will help in marketing the tourism assets of Azad Jammu and Kashmir as well as provide information, online booking facilities and tour packages to domestic and foreign tourists in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. It can help in the development and promotion of tourism sector. He said the IT sector is like a “fast train”, which can help Pakistan achieve rapid economic growth with little investment compared to traditional brick-and-mortar dependent infrastructure development.
