Signs of revival in tourism in troubled region

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• published: 21 Jul 2015
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Srinagar - 11 June 2003 1. Wide shot Dal lake 2. Various tourists taking boat rides in traditionally decorated Kashmiri boats called 'Shikaras' 3. Various foreign tourists 4. Various security keeping watch as tourists walk along lake side 5. SOUNDBITE: (English) Yaniv, Israeli tourist: "Basically I feel very safe here. I feel very good in the boathouse and everywhere around...it's not so much of a problem." 6. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) Celeste, Argentinean tourist: "(It's) very, very pretty, and I have not had any problems luckily, thanks to our guide and the people we have met here, so we've had a good time." 7. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rosano, tourist from the UK: "I read a lot of guide books, travel to India books and they all advise against travel to Kashmir. I have to say that so far we have had no problems. Everyone has been extremely welcoming. I do not see any reason why anyone would not want to come to Kashmir. Do not believe what they are saying in the books - it's actually fine. It's just fine. And there are a lot of other tourists, just like us, who have had just as much fun if not more. So I definitely advise any person who is wishing to travel to India to come to Kashmir and stay here for a couple of days." 8. Tourists coming out of boat after ride 9. Wide shot family of tourists looking at photographs 10. Close up photographs of woman and child dressed in traditional Kashmiri outfits 11. Various armed soldiers guarding Dal lake 12. SOUNDBITE: (Hindi) Voxpop, tourist: "We don't feel any danger but we did feel scared while travelling at night. Everywhere military checkposts are checking you - the military has made good arrangements." RS Pura sector, Sangral post, near International border - 11 June 2003 13. Soldier at border post 14. Wide shot border area overlooking Pakistan 15. Various bodies of alleged Pakistani infiltrators killed by Indian border troops 16. Mid shot soldier Kokernag, Anantnag district - 11 June 2003 17. Wide shot supporters of Jammu Kashmir Liberation Force ( JKLF ) chanting pro-independence slogans 18. Various JKLF leader Yasin Malik distributing questionnaires asking whether Kashmiris want a say in the future of Kashmir 19. Wide shot women filling out questionnaires 20. Close up girl writing 21. Close up names on questionnaire 22. Wide shot women filling out questionnaire 23. Mid shot questionnaire asking respondents to reply yes, or no, to the statement: "We demand our active involvement in the process relating to resolution of Kashmir dispute." 24. Wide shot men filling out questionnaire STORYLINE : In the disputed province of Kashmir, more than a decade of conflict has largely deterred visitors from travelling to the region. Many countries, including Britain, Germany and the United States, advise their citizens against travelling to the troubled region. But, in recent months, there have been signs of a revival in the tourism industry, once the thriving mainstay of Kashmir's economy. Visitors, both local and international are returning to Kashmir to experience the beauty of the region's rugged landscape beneath the peaks of the breath-taking Himalayan mountains, despite the travel warnings. Tourists visiting the picturesque Dal Lake, in the provincial capital of Srinigar, told APTN that they had not experienced any problems, although one expressed unease at travelling during the night, owing to the number of military checkpoints she had encountered. Local tour operators say that tourism has increased this season and that business in the area is gradually picking up. But violence continues to plague the volatile India-Pakistan border. You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/51efeec44e8931dff9187f9cef9dc372 Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork