Srinagar, Jul 9: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is likely to meet his West Bengal counterpart, Mamata Banerjee, on Thursday at the state secretariat Nabanna in Howrah.
The meeting, described as a “courtesy call,” is likely to focus on opposition strategies ahead of the upcoming monsoon session of Parliament.
Omar Abdullah left for West Bengal on Wednesday, where he participated in a tourism-related event aimed at promoting Jammu and Kashmir as a safe and attractive travel destination.
“This will be the first meeting between the two Chief Ministers since the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which left 26 people dead,” a senior official told Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS). “The Chief Minister is keen on reviving the tourism sector, which was hit hard by the incident,” he added.
According to officials, the visit is part of a larger outreach initiative by the J&K government to dispel apprehensions among travelers and restore confidence in the region’s tourism industry. Omar is expected to meet key tourism stakeholders in West Bengal to brief them on the ground situation in Kashmir and encourage tourist inflow from the state.
“Bengal remains one of the biggest markets for Kashmir’s tourism industry. The idea is to assure tourists and travel operators that Jammu and Kashmir is open, safe, and welcoming,” an official familiar with the visit said.
Sources added that the J&K government has intensified efforts to promote the Union Territory as a prime travel destination. This includes launching targeted campaigns, organizing roadshows, and forming strategic partnerships with tour operators across several Indian states. (KINS)
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