Can SKICC in Srinagar Emerge as a Corporate Activity Hub?

Srinagar, July 9 (NationPress) The Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah, stated on Wednesday that the Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) located in the city of Srinagar has the capability to transform into a nucleus for corporate activities in the Kashmir region.

Chief Minister Abdullah presided over the board meetings of both SKICC and the Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Development Corporation (JKTDC) after recently reconstituting the boards, with the Chief Minister as the Chairman.

He conducted consecutive board meetings at SKICC in Srinagar.

The 19th board meeting of SKICC was attended by Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Administrative Secretaries of Finance and Tourism, the Director General of Planning, Tourism Director, JKTDC Managing Director, and SKICC Director.

The Chief Minister highlighted the necessity for SKICC to evolve into a prominent venue for conferences and other events, enabling it to be utilized to its fullest potential and generate enough revenue to cover its own costs.

He urged the management of SKICC to use strategic marketing techniques to inform corporates and private entities about this facility, which could serve as a hub of activities throughout the year.

Concerned about the underutilization of SKICC, he requested the Tourism department to create a distinct Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) brand identity for SKICC to maximize its utilization.

"It is crucial to target corporates, event planners, and government agencies to secure more bookings for SKICC and reduce unutilized days. This would assist SKICC in increasing its revenue," he stated during the meeting.

The Chief Minister additionally emphasized the importance of recovering outstanding dues owed by various departments, private entities, and individuals.

He called for clear role assignments for staff and improved supervision to maximize the effectiveness of available human resources.

This marked the first board meeting of SKICC following its recent reconstitution with the Chief Minister as its chairman.

The last board meeting occurred in November 2020.

The agenda focused on actions taken from previous meetings, audit reports, account reconciliations with the AG's office, the status of utility segregation between SKICC and Centaur Hotel—which was outsourced to Leela Palace and JSW Realty by the Union Territory administration last year—human resource matters, and the absorption of Centaur Hotel staff into other organizations within the Tourism department.

In another meeting, the Chief Minister led the 95th Board of Directors meeting of JKTDC, emphasizing the need to enhance the visibility of JKTDC assets so that tourists and the general public actively seek accommodations in JKTDC hotels and guest houses.

He urged improvements in services and facilities at JKTDC properties to elevate guest experiences, ensuring they prefer JKTDC accommodations during their visits to Jammu and Kashmir.

The Chief Minister expressed concern regarding the misuse of JKTDC properties and revenue losses.

"Every single JKTDC asset must be equipped with an independent smart meter," the CM stressed, highlighting the need for better monitoring of JKTDC huts and hotels to prevent asset misuse.

He called for enhancing the overnight stay potential of huts in remote tourist areas.

The Chief Minister directed that a maximum number of rooms, including premium ones, should be made available for better marketability through Online Travel Aggregators, ensuring JKTDC hotels and huts are utilized to their fullest capacity.

He advocated for the development of a JKTDC app for efficient marketing and improved access to its services.

The Chief Minister called for an asset audit to identify deficiencies and outline improvement strategies.

The JKTDC management was instructed to implement best practices from the private sector to enhance its operations.

Among the various agenda items discussed during the JKTDC board meeting were the onboarding of online travel aggregators for marketing hotel rooms and accommodations, the reimbursement of outstanding dues from other departments, the revision of rental agreements for JKTDC accommodations allocated to various departments and organizations, financial statements, unpaid dues of retired officials, and actions taken on prior board decisions.