Itanagar: Terming tourism as one of the best industries where local residents can be engaged to minimise rural-urban migration, the APTOA demanded opening of new tourist circuits, extension of existing ones and release of funds for creating tourism infrastructures.
All Arunachal Pradesh Tour Operators Association (APTOA) general secretary Duyu Tamo told reporters that new tourist circuits in Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts should be created and said “The regions have high potential for cultural and festival tourism.” Tamo said existing tourist circuits such as the Nacho-Limeking-Taksing, the Tuting-Gelling-Singga and the Miao-Vijaynagar should be extended as these circuits have potential for Buddhist pilgrims tour, adventure tourism and others.
“The Union Ministry of Home Affairs needs to include Buddhist circuit in its national action plan to attract more tourists in this landlocked state,” he said demanding immediate establishment of a Greenfield airport at Hollongi for convenience of tourists. For making the state tourism department the highest revenue earning one, APTOA president John Panye appealed the state government to release sufficient funds so that more infrastructure could be created for tourists.
“To make tourists more comfortable, the government also needs to create sufficient infrastructure for its officials,” he said. “We have to include more stakeholders for better development of tourism and involve them in planning, policy making etc,” he pointed out requesting the state government to conduct one mega festival instead of several such events. The APTOA, in collaboration with the state tourism department, would conduct a training on ‘Capacity Building for Rural Eco-tourism Guides and Village Hospitality Service Providers’ from August 5 to 13 , Panye added. (PTI)
