Foreign delegates visited the old Mughal garden, played golf at the Royal Springs Golf Course, and took a Shikara ride on Dal Lake as the three-day G20 Tourism Working Group meeting in Srinagar came to an end on Wednesday.According to a tweet from the Union Tourism Ministry, participants had the chance to enjoy the beauty of various places in Srinagar on the third day of the third G20 Tourism Working Group conference in Srinagar. One of the major highlights of their tour was a visit to the breathtaking Nishat Garden, which is located on the lovely shores of Dal Lake. The garden, which included twelve terraces, enhanced the overall attractiveness of the event. Tourists were seen taking photographs with foreign guests, who were also dressed in traditional Kashmiri costumes. Image: TwitterImage: TwitterThe delegates walked around Boulevard Road on Dal Lake and then to Polo View Market in Srinagars Lal Chowk, the towns first totally pedestrian bazaar. The roads leading to the marketplace were closed to local people for half an hour before the visit of delegates. Only shopkeepers were permitted to remain in their stores. “The visitors purchased and explored items such as shawls, handicrafts, and dry fruits,” stated one shopkeeper. Image: TwitterThe foreign participants did Yoga early in the morning as the first international meeting, which is considered to have a good impact on the regions tourism and commercial sectors, concluded successfully. The conference, which was the inaugural major international gathering organised in Jammu & Kashmir since the repeal of Article 370 in August 2019, drew 61 delegates. The delegates were entertained for lunch at the SKICC by Srinagar Mayor Junaid Mattoo.Image: TwitterSignificant outcomes of the G20 Tourism Working Group meetingThe visiting delegates and experts addressed ecotourism, sustainable tourism, and film tourism during the three-day discussions in Srinagars intensely militarised and secured SK International Convention Centre (SKICC). The delegates were delighted about the meetings event, location, and agenda. Because of the exceptional craftsmanship of the artefacts on show, the G20 group was able to appreciate them and discover more about Kashmirs distinct cultural tradition and heritage. The event also allowed members of the industry to contribute comments and input on the potential factors that will attract filmmakers to shoot in various sites across the country and especially in places like Kashmir.Image: TwitterOne of the important highlights was that China did not attend the summit. The initial meetings on the banks of Dal Lake were attended by delegates and officials from G20 members Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, the UK, US, and the European Union. Certain members of the organisation, such as Indonesia and Saudi Arabia, were represented by officials from embassies in New Delhi rather than by representatives from their capitals.India, which took over the groups presidency in December, held G20-related meetings in Jammu & Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh to highlight peace and development in these territories and to refute other countries territorial disputes. Pakistan is opposed to similar events being held in Kashmir. It was one of the reasons why China opted not to attend the Srinagar conference. China also skipped a G20 summit in Arunachal Pradesh. Arunachal Pradesh is claimed by China as part of its southern Tibet region.Image: TwitterFor the conference, Srinagar was decorated in G20 colours. The route leading from Srinagar Airport to the conference site was adorned with murals and paintings. In the days leading up to the summit, local markets and even security bunkers were cleaned up and decorated. For the worldwide event, multi-tiered security procedures were created. Prior to the conference, marine commandos and National Security Guard personnel (NSG) conducted security exercises surrounding the location. River and lake dominance was implemented to protect the safety of water bodies near the meeting site. Mock exercises were also held near Dal Lake by members of the Central Reserve Police Force.
