CHANGING COURSE
Media can play a vital role in changing the course of life of people and therefore it is significant that those running the big media houses and other streams of providing information to the people should maintain highest level of responsibility as they are capable enough to bring about desired changes in the society. In this context, the tourism sector in J&K can be exploited in a much better way if the media would play its role in a more positive way because despite no major attack on tourists in last many decades in J&K, the tourists avoided to visit the region as media used to remain reluctant in providing the true picture to the world. It was LG Manoj Sinha, who after coming to power has changed the strategy and involved media both print and electronic to come up with positive information about the circumstances in the Valley and the results are in front of all with tourist influx breaking all records and jam-packed hotels and houseboats bringing prosperity in the Valley with all the stakeholders including the visitors of the valley having a good time irrespective of the season because J&K is an all-season destination with world class hospitality making it favourite place of all kinds of tourists. This aspect should be understood by the media and a message should be given out to invite all the probable tourists in the Valley to undo the damage inflicted to J&K in the last over three decades of turmoil. The spectrum of J&K’s bountiful tourist destinations is so wide that the region can cater to the tourists belonging to all walks of life with varied interests and requirements. Needless to mention that Jammu and Kashmir is an apt destination for people seeking respite from their daily chores and want to spend time in plush green environs, snow clad mountains, shrines, cold desert touching skies, deep waters, serene lakes, arid ecosystem, dense forests, and diverse animal kingdom. There is dire need that government should rope in media in a big way to mobilize the resources across the country and even abroad to once again help J&K to become the top tourist destination of the country. One thing is very important that government should ensure that no one is allowed to go for negative reporting as this has a very adverse effect on the tourism sector. It is a known fact that conditions are conducive for the tourism to flourish and there is no reason to create any kind of fear psychosis among the probable tourists. The media will have to understand this to ensure good old days in J&K once again.