From Our Correspondent
Guwahati: The ‘unexplored paradise’ of Northeast India has been brought to the National Games stadium ground here in Guwahati for the first ever two-day International Tourism Mart that will be held from January 19 to showcase the diverse tourism potential of the region before a global delegates and travel trade captains from both overseas and rest of the country.
The Mart that is being organised by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, in coordination with all the Northeastern States and West Bengal that has contiguity with the region. Union Tourism Minister Chiranjivee will be present when Assam Governor J B Patnaik will inaugurate the event in January 19. The region’s colourful tribal way of life, culture , tradition and unparalleled but yet to be explored scenic destinations , floral and faunal resources, mouth-watering cuisine etc. will be some of the highlights of the mart.
Secretary of Tourism, Parvez Dewan informed International Tourism Mart, Guwahati, 2013 is not only the first ever international tourism event to be organised in the N-E region, but also the first international tourism mart to focus on a specific region of India.
He said the mega tourism mart will enable the tourism product suppliers from the Northeast India to reach out to the global market through international and domestic travel trade captains attending it.
Eighty three travel-trade delegates from 23 countries including ASEAN nations, the US, UK, Sweden, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Australia, South Korea, Japan, Bangladesh, Bhutan are coming to the Mart. The overseas delegation include 55 tour operators, nine hoteliers and 14 media representatives.
Post-Mart familiarization tours to the States in the region have been arranged by the respective State governments for the overseas delegates from January 21 to 28 next.
450 artistes, 50 each from the nine participating states, will be performing in the Mart besides carrying out a cultural procession in the city centre here on January 19 to showcase rich ethnic culture of the region.
Assam government has decided to familiarize the international delegates with the traditional lifestyle in villages of Assam Valley besides the state’s top-bracket destinations like wildlife parks, cruise along the river Brahmaputra.
A contingent of ministers and executive heads of various national tourism organisations will participate in the Mart including Kousoum Saroeuth, vice-minister , tourism of Cambodia, Thang Bunthan, chief of marketing and promotion, Cambodia, Savankhon Razmontry, deputy minister of tourism, Lao PDR, Ms Sengsoda Vanthanouvong, director of tourism promotion board, Lao PDR, Chee-Pey Chang, executive director, Singapore Tourism Board, Md Moksudul Hasan Khan, Chairman of ministry of tourism, Bangladesh and Thuji Dorji Nadik, head of tourism council, Bhutan.
There will be an exhibition venue in the mart where allthe participating States are showcasing their individual tourism potential and facilities.