Foreign Tourists: Kashmir's Stunning Natural Beauty Moved Me, And I'll Definitely Come Again
A group of Czech tourists on their first trip to Kashmir are drinking Kashmiri Khewa and fruit juice in a crowded restaurant in Lal Chowk. While praising Srinagar’s attractiveness, the party expressed displeasure at having only three days to tour the city. Nevertheless, they promised to return for a longer stay soon to fully appreciate the valley’s natural splendour.
“Friends who frequently visited Kashmir had told us a lot about the region. We made the decision to go to Srinagar somehow. This time, our journey is only scheduled to last three days. The party of five visitors, led by a woman named Michieli, has arranged a trip to Dharamshala for tomorrow (Wednesday). “I can speak English among all and that’s what has made me a team leader… Laughs!”
She claimed that despite the group’s brief first visit to the Valley—just three days—they were enchanted by Srinagar’s beauty, particularly Dal Lake. “The water is gorgeous. The group members took a shikhara trip to explore the lake while bathing in it.
Michieli stated that even though Srinagar appears to be a sophisticated city, there is heavy traffic. There is room for further advancement. To draw in more tourists, it is possible to simplify traffic and put more tourist attractions, such as fountains, she said.
She responded that this time their vacation was only for three days and they couldn’t travel too far when asked how the group felt about the beauty of Kashmir. We didn’t visit many locations, she continued and spent the majority of our time at Dal Lake and its surroundings. When asked if more visitors from European nations were anticipated, Michieli and the other members of her group responded, “They will return again for a lengthy trip. possibly for ten days or two weeks. This location has a natural beauty.
The hotel on Boulevard is where Michieli and her group are lodgings. She smiled and added, “Next time, we’ll stay on a houseboat and tour Kashmir.” Michieli seemed to be unaware of the positive G-20 Tourism Working Group conference that took place in Srinagar in May of this year when asked how they felt about the event. “In Srinagar, I didn’t hear anything about the G-20. It’s a good step if it was held, she remarked.
More visitors from European nations are expected to visit Kashmir this year, according to a male group member. “Some of our buddies have vacations coming up. This year, there would be an increase in foreign visitor arrivals, he said. He responded to a question about the temperature by saying that although it was a little hot for them, “we are happy.” He gave Kashmir’s people and cuisine commendation. He beamingly said, “Everyone here is so friendly, and the cuisine is fantastic.
Relevantly, numerous foreign nations have issued travel advisories forbidding their citizens from visiting Kashmir. Following the repeal of Article 370 in 2019, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Australia issued new travel warnings urging their people to avoid visiting Kashmir.
Tour companies were eagerly anticipating the international visitors, as was the government, but this year’s influx of visitors from South East Asian Countries (SEAC) gave them hope. According to government statistics, more than 15000 international visitors visited Kashmir this year compared to the previous one. Both the travel companies and the UT administration are pleased that tourists from European nations are visiting Kashmir.
