G20 tourism working group meeting in Srinagar: Benefits and Opportunities

As India acquired the presidency of G20, an intergovernmental forum that accounts for 80% of gross world product (GWP), 75% of international trade, 2/3 of the global population, and 60% of the world’s land area, the cities are bustling with vehement fervor and spruced up to showcase the ‘spirited India’ at the global stage. India’s prestigious presidency of G20 as an opportunity was showcased by the manifestation of its rich geographic and socio-cultural diversity and heritage. Other than Jammu and Kashmir, India had organized similar events in states such as Gujarat and West Bengal earlier this year. 

Srinagar, the capital city hosted the Third G20 Tourism Working Group Meeting from 22nd May to 24th May 2023 at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC). The city streets were packed with a teeming entourage of 60 foreign delegates from 27 nations. The event and the location also hold importance by virtue of it being one of the largest international events hosted in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) since the repeal of Article 370 in August 2019, which put an end to the area’s semi-autonomous status.

Despite some diplomatic hiccups, the event had an overwhelming presence of delegates and officials from G20 member nations including, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, the UK, the US, and the European Union. This is the only working group meeting to have taken place in Srinagar as part of the G20 effort, and it has received an overwhelming response from all member countries, invited countries, and international organizations, with the highest participation recorded compared to the first two Tourism Working Group Meetings in Rann of Kutch and Siliguri.

The three-day event kicked off with a rejuvenating session of yoga against the backdrop of the Zabarwan mountain range followed by a visit to the 17th-century structure emblematic of Mughal architecture, the Nishat Garden, and subsequently to the Royal Spring Golf Course on the banks of the Dal Lake. Providing a fillip to the tourism potential in India and exploring tourism as an avenue of inter-personal exchange among G20 nations, the event focused on five key priority areas namely, Green Tourism, Digitalization, Skills, MSMEs, and Destination Management. However, in Kashmir, the G20 focused on three major areas; boost to the tourism industry, film tourism, and, investment and trade opportunities. 

Boost to tourism industry

Tourism is the key sector of Jammu and Kashmir’s economy and accounts for 6.98 percent of the state’s GDP. According to the Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Department, the region witnessed an upward surge both in domestic and international tourist arrivals in recent years. Jammu & Kashmir recorded 1.88 crore tourist arrivals up to December 2022, the highest in the past 75 years. Although the majority of them were Vaishno Devi-bound pilgrims yet generating optimism and safety is a big achievement for the government of India. The officials claim that the Valley got nearly 26 lakh tourists. The tourism industry generates around Rs. 8,000 crores annually, contributing to nearly 7% of the state’s GDP. The industry provides employment to around 70,000 people directly and indirectly. This includes hotel staff, tour operators, taxi drivers, and souvenir vendors. The massive numbers validate the fact that there is a huge potential for the sector to boost the local economy and provide employment opportunities. 

By virtue of the G20 meeting held in Srinagar, the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir got an opportunity to exhibit its market prospects, eco-tourism ventures, and cultural assets to the leading global nations. A record number of tourists are expected to visit Kashmir this year also. The event, which took place from May 22-24 on the banks of the famous Dal Lake in Srinagar is expected to have a positive impact on the tourism industry and the trade sectors of the region. The event holds importance in light of the devastating Covid-19 pandemic that brought the lives, society, and economy of Jammu and Kashmir and its people to a halt. The meeting is projected to generate work possibilities for people in the handicraft and tourist industries, delivering a much-needed boost to the local labor market and assisting in the reduction of poverty in the region. There is a need for building new infrastructural amenities such as hotels, restaurants, and transit facilities, to allow local businesses to benefit from the development of these services.

Boost to film tourism

Kashmir has always attracted the attention of filmmakers since the days of late Raj Kapoor’s movie Barsaat was shot in Kashmir in 1949. After that 1960s and 1970s saw several Bollywood films on the screen including the famous movies ‘Kashmir Ki Kali (1964), ‘Jab Jab Phool Khile’ (1965), and ‘Bobby’ (1973), among many others. The movie and their songs remained favorites for generations to come. Kashmir offers the perfect location for movie makers which were earlier shot in Europe due to security reasons back in the valley. Kashmir as a film destination was beneficial for two major reasons. One it saved huge financial resources for the producers and second it was within the contiguity. 

In the recent past many movies have been shot in Kashmir including the popular ones such as Jab Tak Hain Jaan of Superstar Shah Rukh Khan or Haider for that matter. However, Kashmir’s image for film tourism was never displayed due to volatile security reasons. Now the contours have changed. On the eve of the G20 summit, a large event was staged to emphasize film tourism, which the UT administration has been heavily pushing in recent years. The purpose of the film tourism event was to present visiting delegates’ film shoot offers, with a focus on single-window clearance and other services for international crews. On the fringes of the conference, the draught for a national strategy on film tourism was also revealed. The benefit from the interest shown by Multinationals in Investing in J&K was also an outcome of the G20 in Kashmir.

Investment and trade opportunities

Many corporate executives, expatriates, businesspeople, and diplomats from Middle Eastern nations have visited Jammu and Kashmir in recent months to explore investment prospects in the UT. Multinationals’ enthusiasm for investing in J&K is likely what pushed India to decide to hold the G20 meeting in the UT this year. Finally, the G20 summit is a high-profile event that draws media attention from across the world, enabling the host country to highlight both its symbolic significance as well as present its narrative to the world community.  

Geostrategic importance

The G20 continues to play an important role in defining and enhancing global governance and architecture on all key international economic challenges. The premise underpinning New Delhi’s decision to revoke Article 370 in 2019, meetings such as G20 in Kashmir confers a degree of approval for India’s actions from the world’s major economies. India aims to use the G20 meeting to unveil the tourism potential of Kashmir however, it is also projecting before the world that there is peace and tranquility in Kashmir. New Delhi is trying to showcase Kashmir as an attractive place for trade and investments, in part to achieve its economic development promises in the region. The meeting was intended to demonstrate that there is a growing perception within the world community that India has integrated Kashmir for the development and prosperity of the region, not for any other malafide reason. This high-level summit is also an affirmation to both domestic as well as international travelers about the safety aspect. What is also an important takeaway from this mega event is that even three members of organizations of Islamic States attended the meeting, a manifestation of India’s deep engagement with different stakeholders. 

Conclusion

The G20 tourism meeting was quintessentially important for India both for symbolic reasons as well as to demonstrate India’s stature at the global level where it is exercising pragmatic diplomacy and influencing multilateral institutions. Essentially focusing on tourism, the meeting also outlined how Kashmir can be represented through this international forum. Apart from tourism, G20 also deliberated on film tourism and emphasized on trade and investment. Albeit all this, it is important to underline the fact that India organized this event in the heart of Kashmir sending the message that it exercises strategic autonomy when it is about dealing with sensitive regions such as Kashmir.

References

1.  https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/truth-lies-and-politics/significance-of-holding-a-g-20-meeting-in-kashmir/ 
2. https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1926176
3. https://www.wionews.com/india-news/three-islamic-countries-attended-india-hosted-g20-meet-in-jammu-and-kashmir-596478  
4. https://indianexpress.com/article/india/g20-meet-ends-kashmiris-hope-for-tourism-revival-8627536/
5. http://risingkashmir.com/g20-in-srinagar-step-towards-projecting-j-k-as-international-film-shooting-destination
6.  https://southasianvoices.org/g-20-summit-in-kashmir-and-the-facade-of-normalcy/