Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh has added another feather to its wings after being voted the ‘Favourite Upcoming Destination’ by a travel magazine.
Tourism Parliamentary Secretary P.D. Sona produced a letter sent by Outlook Traveller president Alok Srivastava to the state’s tourism secretary Sonam Chombay.
Informing that the outcome was the result of a survey conducted in 2012 by an IPSOS poll of readers through the magazine and its website, he said the survey “is an authoritative benchmark of consumer preferences in travel and tourism across 18 categories, including hotels, airlines and holiday destinations.”
The award will be presented to the tourism department in New Delhi on January 24, Sona said.
Sona, known for carving a niche for the state’s tourism, said Arunachal will showcase its vast tourism potential, rich cultural mosaic and the lifestyle of its hospitable people at the three-day International Tourism Mart (ITM), which is scheduled to begin in Guwahati from January 18.
Sona also disclosed that this is first of such global event being hosted for any region by the Government of India, especially to promote the North East Region (NER), which has huge tourism potential.
A six-member official delegation led by Sona, including the secretary and the director, would represent Arunachal Pradesh in the event, besides a 61-member cultural troupe.
The event will be inaugurated by Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, Union Mnister of State for Tourism Chiranjeevi and Union Tourism Secretary Pervez Dewan on January 18.
Chiranjeevi told the media at New Delhi recently that the ITM will not only be the first ever international tourism event to be organised in the NER, but also the first such event to focus on a specific region of India.
“It will bring together the trade, travel and tourism business fraternity and entrepreneurs from the eight NE states of India and West Bengal on a single platform. The event has been planned and envisaged to facilitate interaction between buyers, sellers, media, government agencies and others,” he added.
Representatives of three SAARC and 10 ASEAN countries have confirmed their participation. According to tourism ministry officials, around 100 delegates, including tourism ministers, tourism secretaries, tour operators, hotelier and international media from Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Korea, Lao PDR, Malaysia and Myanmar will take part.
Besides, delegates from Philippines, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, UK, US and Vietnam would also be attending the mart. (ANI)
