Every village in Assam holds the potential to be a tourist destination: Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah

At the North Eastern & Eastern States/Union Territories Tourism Ministers Conference in Shillong, Assam's Tourism Minister, Jayanta Mallabaruah, emphasized the state’s remarkable strides in tourism and called for strategic initiatives to further elevate Assam as a top tourist destination. The event, presided over by Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, served as a platform for discussing the future of tourism across the region.

Minister Mallabaruah highlighted the transformative growth in Assam's tourism sector since 2016, with foreign tourist arrivals surging from 6,000 to 42,000, and domestic visits nearing the one-crore mark. He attributed this success to targeted initiatives and robust government support, while also recognizing the untapped potential in the state's diverse attractions.

"Every village in Assam holds the potential to be a tourist destination," asserted Mallabaruah, advocating for a comprehensive marketing strategy to promote niche tourism segments like Tea Tourism, Golf Tourism, Wildlife Tourism, and Religious Tourism. These sectors, he noted, are crucial for the state's economic development and the enhancement of local livelihoods.

The Minister also addressed challenges that could hinder tourism growth, including the need to regulate airfares to make Assam more accessible to budget travelers. He discussed ongoing projects aimed at developing luxury tourism infrastructure in key destinations and expanding the 'Amar Alohi' scheme to facilitate homestays in lesser-known areas. Mallabaruah urged the Ministry of Tourism to create a dedicated search engine for tourists to find local homestays, which would reduce reliance on multinational platforms and benefit small-scale operators.

A significant part of his address focused on changing external perceptions of Assam, which is often associated with insurgency and natural disasters like floods. Minister Mallabaruah called for the Union Government's intervention in reshaping these perceptions and extending strong support to further boost Assam's tourism sector.

Kumar Padmapani Bora, later, delivered an insightful presentation on Assam’s tourism sector, highlighting recent departmental initiatives aimed at sustaining and accelerating growth in this vital industry.