INDIA’S Ministry of Tourism will organise an international tourism mart in Assam’s Guwahati from January 18-20, marking inaugural efforts to host such events in the country’s north-east.
Tourism minister, K Chiranjeevi, said: “The mart will provide a platform for delegates to engage in one-to-one meetings with sellers from the north-eastern region. Tourism product suppliers on their part will be able to reach out to international buyers.”
“North-east India has lot of tourism potential and efforts like this will help the region to be promoted on the international front,” said Subhash Goyal, president, Indian Association of Tour Operators.
The Adventure Tour Operators Association Of India is also holding its 10th annual convention in Guwahati from January 20-22.
At present, north-east India attracts few domestic and international tourists. Assam received around 16,000 foreign visitors in 2011, while the numbers were negligible in other north-eastern states of Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh.
Around 100 delegates from Australia, Germany, Indonesia, South Korea, Singapore, the UK and the US, among others, are expected to attend the mart. Post-mart fam tours will be held for overseas delegates from January 21-28.
Apart from the north-eastern states, the state of West Bengal will also participate in the event.
