Srinagar: The recent decision of appointing Sarmad Hafeez as Administrative Secretary Tourism Department has been hailed by people associated with the travel and tourism sector of the state.
The government had recently posted IAS officer and MD JK Tourism Development Corporation as Administrative Secretary Tourism Departmnet.
In an order government said that Sarmad Hafeez “shall look after the work of Administrative Secretary, Tourism Department, in addition to his own duties, till further orders’.
People associated with tour and travel agencies told INS that Hafeez has all those ‘capabilities and qualities that are needed for tourism sector and since his mettle as a capable officer stands proven in his earlier posting, government has taken a step in right direction.
“Sarmad is a competitive officer and he has all those capabilities of uplifting this sector,” A tour and travel agency owner said.
Other sectors like hoteliers too have welcomed the decision of the government and have called his posting as a ‘good gesture’.
“Hoteliers are badly hit by the turbulence in the tourism inflow but with this decision, more tourists are likely to be wooed to visit the Kashmir valley,” a hotelier said.
Expectation within the fraternity associated with the tourism industry is high with the new posting of Sarmad Hafeez and people are pinning high hopes, what they call as, “one of the bold steps by government to say that they are serious about rejuvenating the tourism sector’.
“He is an honest officer and that is needed in this industry,” the hotelier said.
