[Assam] Tourists flow to State goes up

Thu Aug 10 23:27:17 PDT 2006

Tourists flow to State goes up
 By A Staff Reporter
  GUWAHATI, Aug 10  There has been a rise in the flow of tourists to some of the NE States during the past two years. The boost is significant in the case of Asom. Stating this in a written reply to the questions from States MPs Dwijen Sarma and Karnendu Bhattacharjee in the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister for Tourism and Culture Ambika Soni said on August 8 that against the number of 21,56,675 domestic and 6,610 foreign tourists the State received in 2003, it received 24,67,652 domestic and 10,782 foreign tourists in 2005. The State received 22,88,093 domestic and 7,285 foreign tourists in 2004. 

Giving an account of the steps taken by the Union Government to attract more tourists to the region, the Union Minister said that the Government of India had attached great importance to develop tourism in the region. And towards achieving this objective, ten per cent of the Plan allocation of the Ministry of Tourism was earmarked for development of tourism in the region, she said. 

A website devoted to North East  www. northeastofindia.com-has been launched and a major integrated campaign costing Rs 9 crore for promotion of the NE region was initiated during 2005-06. This campaign with further innovation will be vigorously pursued during 2006-07.

The Ministry also organized two familiarization tours of prominent tour operators and media personalities who visited various destinations or locations in the NE States. These tours have proved to be fruitful as the tour operators were convinced of the tourism-related infrastructure available in the States of the region, she said.

Besides, the Ministry is also undertaking a series of promotional activities in tourist generating markets overseas through its 13 India Tourism offices to attract foreign tourists to various tourist destinations of the country, including those of the NE region. These activities include advertising, participation in fairs and exhibitions, organizing seminars, workshops and road shows, publication of brochures and joint advertisement support, and inviting media personalities, tour operators and opinion makers to visit the country under the Hospitality Programme of the Ministry. Source Assam Tribune

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