STATUS AND PROSPECTS OF TOURISM INDUSTRY IN JAMMU AND KASHMIR

Tourism is one of the world's fastest growing industries at present. In India, although tourism has the distinction of being the third largest export industry after gems, jewelry and readymade garments, its share of the world's tourist traffic is a mere 0.51 per cent. It is more important in the case of Jammu and Kashmir. Tourism, besides boosting the economy of Jammu and Kashmir, can act as a major force for the conservation of its cultural heritage, and also provide significant opportunities for women and young people and offer educational training and skills development and protect and revitalize traditional arts and crafts. Looking at its economic returns and comparatively light investments and at the potentialities for tourism and limitations of adequate natural resources in other fields of economic growth, tourism in the state has always been an area of attention and is required to be encouraged further. The present paper is an attempt to analysis the status and prospects of tourism industry in Jammu and Kashmir.