Kashmir hosts MiCE group

Kashmir recently played host to a MiCE group of over 200 when a leading Indian private sector bank organised an incentive trip to the state for its senior management officials.

TT Bureau

A mega three-nights four-days reward incentive trip was recently organised to Srinagar by one of the leading private sector banks of the country for over 200 of its senior officials posted in many branches across India. The MiCE trip comes in line with the efforts of the department of tourism projecting Kashmir as one of the best MiCE destinations of the country with many corporate houses organising events and incentive trips for their employees here. The trip was organised by Leisure Corp in collaboration with Mascot Travels and Jammu & Kashmir Tourism Development Corporation (JKTDC).

During the trip, the delegates visited popular places for sightseeing in Srinagar and indulged in other experiences including shikara rides and Mughal gardens as well as relished local music at events promoting local talent. About 90 per cent of the delegates in the trip were visiting Kashmir for the first time. Overwhelmed by the beauty of the place, they expressed surprise over the negative image of the state in national media.

Kashmir has been my first choice for such events. Besides Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar for conventions, big hotel brands have also come up for corporate tours

Commenting on the role of JKTDC in promoting MiCE, Naveen Kundu, Founder & MD, Leisure Corp said, “Kashmir has been my first choice for such events. We can easily organise incentive trips here for corporate houses who desire to visit the Valley. Besides Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar for conventions, big hotel brands have also come up for corporate tours. This is exactly what corporates would need when they have meetings and conferences at such a place.”

Mahmood A Shah, Director, Tourism, JKTDC, said that they have been promoting Kashmir for events and conferences at MiCE shows and travel trade exhibitions outside the state during which they meet event management companies and showcase the potential of corporate tours to Kashmir.

Leisure Corp has already organised a few such incentive trips to Kashmir and the delegates have been overwhelmed with the beauty of the state. “Such events would go a long way in diluting the negative perception among travellers intending to visit Kashmir. The successful conduct of this tour has lifted the hopes of travel agents about more such events in the future,” added Shah.

Yaseen Tuman of Mascot Travels, who has been working hard to get this corporate tour to Kashmir, said many more business houses are willing to organise MiCE trips to Kashmir. “This has been the biggest event since 2016, when situation turned bad for tourism. With our successful organisation of this event, we are expecting more business houses to turn to Kashmir,” he said.

Reviving Image

• Such events would go a long way in diluting the negative perception among travellers intending to visit Kashmir
•  With the successful organisation, agents are expecting more business houses to turn to the Valley