GUWAHATI: The Centre has invested Rs 560 crore for developing tourism in the North-East during the 11th plan period but the region is yet to be a major tourist destination, Union Minister of State for Tourism K Chiranjeevi said here.
Addressing a press conference after inaugurating the first International Tourism Mart here, Chiranjeevi said the North-Eastern region has immense untapped tourism potential and the sector will be developed into an institution with investment by the Centre very soon.
“We have to develop quality infrastructure and the main focus should be on adventure tourism,” Chiranjeevi, who is on his maiden visit to the state, said.
“We have identified hotel management projects in these states and the unused airports and helipads will be made operational soon to promote tourism,” he said.
The Mart, the first such international tourist event to be organized in the region in which 79 foreign delegates have participated was a ‘welcome sign’, he said.
The ministry of tourism releases domestic television campaigns besides providing space on complimentary basis to the states in the country’s pavilions in major international travel fairs, including the World Travel market in London and Berlin, the minister said referring to the Center’s efforts to promote tourism in the region.
The ministry has also launched promotional campaigns on themes ‘Find What You Seek’ and ‘Go Beyond’ to help promote the diverse and lesser known destinations of different regions, he said.
Post ‘Tourism Mart’ familiarization tours to the North-East states organized for overseas delegates will give them first hand knowledge of the destinations and help them to effectively promote these destinations, Chiranjeevi said.
The three-day international mart has brought together the business fraternity and entrepreneurs from the eight North-Eastern states and West Bengal.
Around 83 buyer delegates from 23 countries including Bangladesh, Bhutan, Japan, Korea, Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, UK and USA besides those from ASEAN are participating in the mart, official sources said.
The delegates are treated to a cruise on Brahmaputra River and elephant ride at Pabitors wildlife sanctuary, which has the world’s highest concentration of endangered one horned rhinos. -PTI
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