Srinagar: Veteran and internationally acclaimed Kashmiri artist, composer, and cultural ambassador Waheed Jeelani on Friday said that tourism is a hollow promise without art.
Issuing a heartfelt appeal to the Government of Jammu & Kashmir, all stakeholders associated with Kashmir Tourism, and in particular to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and his team, Jeelani, said, “Let it be clearly understood that no meaningful or sustainable growth in tourism can be achieved in Jammu & Kashmir unless Art and Culture are placed at the heart of our tourism strategy. You cannot promote a destination by ignoring its soul.”
He added artists are not mere entertainers. We are the custodians of our civilizational ethos, the storytellers of the land and the emotional bridge between cultures. “Across the globe, artists are treated as brand ambassadors of their nations. Why then, in Jammu & Kashmir, are we being treated as dispensable?,” he asked.
Jeelani emphasized that the neglect of the artist community in the UT is not just unjust, it is unwise. “No brochures, no advertisements, no campaigns will ever succeed in showcasing the real Kashmir if its music, poetry, handicrafts, and performance traditions are not integrated into the tourism narrative,” he asserted.
He urged CM Omar Abdullah to “take decisive and visionary steps to uplift the artist fraternity and embed cultural promotion at the core of tourism planning. Provide platforms, support cultural festivals, revive traditional art hubs, and engage local artists in tourism-linked programs. The benefits will not only be economic but deeply cultural and long-lasting.
“We are not asking for charity; we are demanding recognition, respect, and rightful inclusion in shaping the future of our homeland.,” he said while reiterating that Kashmir is not just mountains and meadows; it is a living, breathing legacy of Sufi traditions, poetic brilliance, musical richness, and unmatched creativity. “Ignore the artist, and you erase the identity of Kashmir. Promote art and culture – and see the world flock not just to see our land, but to experience our soul,” he said.
