Itanagar: The three-hour-long business to business (B2B) meetings between tour operators of nine participating states and 79 delegates from 23 countries marked the conclusion of the three-day International Tourism Mart (ITM) at Guwahati on Sunday.
A particular state met queries and established wide ranging contacts with the foreign delegates to explore the vast tourism potential, Union Ministry of Tourism secretary Parvez Dewan said
Arunachal tourism secretary Sonam Chombay informed that tour operators of his state held 114 marathon B2B meetings. “This is evident from the interest foreign delegates showed in the unexplored North East, including Arunachal known as ‘Land of Rising sun.’
“It may not be possible to quantify the benefits, but the ITM is a first step in taking forward its outcome to promote tourism. The event exposed a new NE with a great impact, Mr Dewan added.
The benefit accruing to India post-World Tourism Mart held at London during November 5 to-11 was also visible at the ITM.
UK’s Green Operator director Joe Mearns and travel writer Laura Stone, who had threadbare discussion at London with the seven-member Arunachal team headed by Chombay, tourism director A K Singh and tour operator BAC Voyages head Bengia Mrinal, are on way to Arunachal after attending the ITM.
“I was lucky to attend the fruitful London event and our week-long trip to Arunachal would definitely increase tourist flow between the European nations and Arunachal,” a visibly spirited Stone added.
Describing North East as the most unique region in the world for its widest range of diversity, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi called for aggressive marketing with assertion to take tourism to its desired level.
“We don’t know our strengths and lack aggressive marketing that is why the region has been lagging far behind. We have to understand our weaknesses, learn the trade and coin new phrases with what and how to present as marketing strategy,’ he said with conviction.
Appreciating the encouraging global response, he said tourism could generate huge employment with very less investment.
The North Eastern youth have been doing exceedingly well in all sectors including hospitality and media all over India, he informed citing examples.
Thanking government of India for putting tourism sector on top priority, Gogoi said ‘We would like to expand the area to all South East Asian (SEA), ASEAN and all neighbouring countries as the NE has great similarities with those nations. “I am Tai as my forefathers (Tai-Ahoms) migrated from SEA nations,’ he said and sought the guidance of MoT in projecting Incredible India’s la-jabab NE.
Replying to a question about security aspect, he said Assam’s tourism flow had increased from 10 lakh to 66 lakh which amply proved that the tourists felt secured.
Tourism Minister of Assam Chandan Brahma termed the event a milestone while state’s tourism principal secretary HS Dash said “It has been an excellent job’.
Deputy Minister of Information, Culture & Tourism of People’s Democratic Republic of Lao Savankhon Rajmantri, Arunachal Tourism Parliamentary Secretary P D Sona, were among the dignitaries, present. (UNI)