SRINAGAR: A G20 pre-summit on Tourism Working Group (TWG) which is being held in Srinagar on May 22-24 will have delegates from around seven non-G20 member countries, five to six foreign-based Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and Tourism Secretaries from 12 States/Union Territories participating in it, media reports said.
Excelsior reported that the invitation by the Central Government to all non-G20 countries and foreign NGOs for attending the Tourism Working Group meeting in Srinagar has been accepted and the delegates will be seen participating in the biggest-ever international event in Jammu and Kashmir after reading down Article 370.
The event will be held at Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) Srinagar and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha will address the international delegates and brief them on tourism potential and normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir besides other issues.
Union Minister for Tourism GK Reddy and Union Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Dr Jitendra Singh will also attend the meeting on May 23.
This is the third Tourism Working Group meeting after the first two were held in the Rann of Kutch, followed by the second one in Siliguri.
The foreign NGOs invited to the meeting have been working in different fields including tourism, and t their participation in the event will help boost tourism in Jammu and Kashmir in the future as they too will spread a message along with G20 member and non-member nations that there is peace in the Union Territory including the Valley which will encourage tourists from abroad to visit J&K, Excelsior reported.
In a significant development, representatives of some Islamic countries will also participate in the event to send a strong message to China and Pakistan who are opposing the holding of the meeting in Srinagar.
While Pakistan is not a member of G20, China has boycotted G20 and Y20 meetings in Arunachal Pradesh and Ladakh and is unlikely to attend the Tourism Working Group meeting in Srinagar.
Excelsior reported that the TWG meeting in Jammu and Kashmir will be an important one, because there the Goa declaration will be finalized, which will be the Ministerial communique that will emerge from the G20 discussions, the sources said.
