Assam Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah Highlights Tourism Growth at Shillong Conference
On September 2, Assam Tourism Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah attended the Tourism Ministers Conference for North Eastern and Eastern States/Union Territories in Shillong, chaired by Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. The conference aimed to discuss strategies to boost the tourism sector in the region.
Remarkable Growth in Assam’s Tourism
Minister Mallabaruah shared that Assam’s tourism industry has seen significant growth, with foreign tourist arrivals increasing from 6,000 to 42,000 and domestic visitors reaching nearly a crore. He attributed this success to focused initiatives and government support since 2016.
Promoting Diverse Tourism
The Minister emphasized the need for a comprehensive marketing strategy to fully utilize Assam’s diverse tourist attractions, including Tea Tourism, Golf Tourism, Wildlife Tourism, and Religious Tourism. These sectors hold great promise for the state’s economic development and livelihood enhancement.
Addressing Challenges
Minister Mallabaruah discussed the need to regularize airfares to attract budget tourists and the ongoing efforts to develop luxury tourism infrastructure and homestays under the ‘Amar Alohi’ scheme. He also requested the Ministry of Tourism to create a search engine to help tourists find local homestays, benefiting smaller players.
Changing Perceptions
The Minister highlighted the need to change external perceptions of Assam, often associated with insurgency and floods. He called for Union Government support to assist in this effort, asserting that every village in Assam has the potential to become a tourist destination.
Kumar Padmapani Bora later presented on Assam’s tourism sector and recent initiatives by the department.
Doubts Revealed
Assam -: Assam is a state in northeastern India, known for its rich culture, tea gardens, and wildlife.
Jayanta Mallabaruah -: Jayanta Mallabaruah is a politician and the Tourism Minister of Assam, responsible for promoting tourism in the state.
Shillong -: Shillong is the capital city of the Indian state of Meghalaya, known for its beautiful landscapes and cool climate.
Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat -: Gajendra Singh Shekhawat is a senior politician in India who holds a position in the central government, overseeing various national matters.
foreign tourist arrivals -: Foreign tourist arrivals refer to the number of people from other countries who visit a place for tourism.
domestic visitors -: Domestic visitors are people from within the same country who travel to different places for tourism.
crore -: A crore is a unit in the Indian numbering system equal to ten million (10,000,000).
comprehensive marketing strategy -: A comprehensive marketing strategy is a detailed plan to promote and advertise something effectively.
regularizing airfares -: Regularizing airfares means making the prices of flight tickets stable and fair for everyone.
luxury tourism infrastructure -: Luxury tourism infrastructure includes high-end facilities like fancy hotels, resorts, and services for tourists.
Union Government -: The Union Government is the central government of India, responsible for national policies and administration.