Tourism model of various nations must be studied to boost NE's tourism: DoNER Minister

New Delhi/Shillong/Agartala, April 7 (IANS) Union Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Monday has suggested that the tourism model of Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and other South Asian nations should be studied and build a model that further boosts the tourism potential of the region.

Attending the virtual meeting of the High Level Task Force (HLTF) on investment promotion in the northeastern region on Monday, Scindia said, “The region can leverage its rich heritage and natural beauty to drive sustainable development, boost local economies and generate employment.”

The DoNER minister in his post on the X said: “With NER’s growth rate surpassing the national average, sustaining this trajectory is imperative. The High Level Task Force on Investment Promotion will serve as a guiding platform for all 8 NER states, driving efforts toward building a Viksit North East.”

The Ministry of DoNER has earlier constituted the HLTF with Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha as its convener, DoNER Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, Chief Ministers Conrad K. Sangma (Meghalaya), Neiphiu Rio (Nagaland), and Prem Singh Tamang (Sikkim) as members.

An official in Shillong said that during the meeting, the framework to unlock northeast India’s tourism potential was discussed.

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma remarked that tourists from the rest of India and globally identify the northeast region as “one”, and it is imperative that the states work in close coordination to facilitate tourism.

He lauded the DoNER Minister for taking up the initiative to constitute the task force, which the chief minister termed as a “landmark” intervention to boost tourism in the entire northeastern region.

He said that the NE region has come up with industrial policies and is paving the way for industrial growth.

The HLTF would study the tourism potential of the region, suggest interventions, identify strategic gaps and recommend a roadmap for the comprehensive development of the tourism sector in the region.

Tripura Chief Minister Saha suggested intervention, which has been initiated by the state to promote tourism, including presenting unique NE cuisines.

Chief Minister Sikkim Prem Singh Tamang spoke at length on tourism interventions and the flow of tourists to the state, while suggesting promotion of the region through consistent marketing and branding.

Tamang also recommended collaboration amongst all northeastern states to facilitate tourism.

The HLTF was constituted following the 72nd plenary session of the North Eastern Council (NEC) held in November last year at Agartala, Tripura.

The Task Force has been constituted by the Ministry of DoNER in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism.

As part of the intervention, in each of the eight states, one tourism circuit will be identified. Through this intervention, the government aims to attract both domestic and international tourists to the region.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who is the chairman of the NEC, chaired the NEC plenary session.

--IANS

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