Omar directs tourism bodies to woo corporates, fix revenue leaks
Chief Minister (CM) Omar Abdullah on Wednesday chaired the board meetings of the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) and the Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Development Corporation (JKTDC), following the recent reconstitution of both boards with the Chief Minister as chairman.
The first meeting, held at SKICC Srinagar, marked the 19th board meeting of the Convention Centre and was the first such session since November 2020. The meeting was attended by Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Administrative Secretaries of Finance and Tourism, Director General Planning, Director Tourism, Managing Director of JKTDC and Director of SKICC.
During the meeting, the CM called for transforming SKICC into a year-round venue for conferences and events. He urged the management to adopt strategic marketing methods to attract corporates, private organisations and government agencies in order to build a distinct brand identity around Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE).
“It is essential to target corporates, event planners and government agencies to ensure higher bookings for SKICC and minimise unutilised days. This would help SKICC to augment its revenue,” Abdullah said.
He expressed concern over the under-utilisation of the facility and stressed the need to ensure SKICC generates sufficient revenue to cover its operational costs. The CM also directed the management to make recoveries of outstanding dues from departments, private parties and individuals. Further emphasis was laid on assigning clear staff responsibilities and improving supervision to maximise efficiency.
The board reviewed progress on action taken from previous meetings, audit reports, reconciliation of accounts with the Accountant General’s office and the current status of utility segregation between SKICC and the adjacent Centaur Hotel, which was outsourced last year to Leela Palace and JSW Realty by the Union Territory administration. Human resource issues and the absorption of Centaur Hotel staff into other wings of the Tourism Department were also discussed.
Later, the CM chaired the 95th Board of Directors meeting of the Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Development Corporation. He called for improving the visibility and services of JKTDC properties to enhance guest experience and ensure repeat visits.
“Every single JKTDC asset should be installed with an independent smart meter,” he said, underlining the need for better monitoring of huts and hotels and to prevent misuse of assets.
Abdullah stressed increasing the overnight stay potential of huts in remote tourist locations and directed the management to list as many rooms as possible, including premium ones, on online travel platforms to improve occupancy. He also called for the development of a dedicated JKTDC mobile app for better accessibility and digital marketing.
He further asked for an audit of JKTDC assets to assess gaps and identify areas for improvement, urging the management to adopt best practices followed in the private sector.
Among the key agenda points discussed were the on boarding of online travel aggregators, the reimbursement of outstanding dues from departments, revision of rentals for JKTDC accommodations allocated to various organisations, settlement of unpaid dues to retired officials and follow-up actions on decisions made in previous meetings.
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