ITANAGAR, Sep 27: Arunachal Pradesh Governor Lt Gen (Retd) KT Parnaik on Sunday said the State possessed all the ingredients to emerge as a leading destination for responsible and experiential tourism, with its natural wealth, biodiversity, tribal heritage, festivals and diverse cultural traditions providing a strong foundation for tourism growth.
Addressing the World Tourism Day celebration here, the Governor said tourism was far more than an economic activity as it creates livelihoods, empowers local communities, preserves cultural heritage and strengthens national integration.
Highlighting Arunachal Pradesh’s tourism potential, Parnaik said the state could offer a wide range of experiences, including eco-tourism, cultural tourism, adventure tourism, spiritual tourism, rural and homestay tourism, agro-tourism, wildlife tourism, wellness tourism, border tourism and festival tourism.
He said the state’s unique advantage lay in its ability to offer these diverse experiences within a single destination. However, he stressed that tourism development should not remain confined to a few popular destinations and called for the inclusion of every district, valley and community as stakeholders in the tourism economy.
The Governor advocated the development of integrated tourism circuits combining ecological, cultural, adventure and heritage attractions to encourage longer stays and ensure that tourism benefits reach a wider section of society.
Emphasising community participation, Parnaik said suitable tourism villages should have quality homestays where visitors could experience local cuisine, agriculture, handicrafts, folklore and traditional lifestyles. He said youth could be trained as guides and tourism entrepreneurs, while women could lead homestays, food enterprises and craft-based tourism initiatives.
He also called for greater involvement of universities and colleges in tourism-related research, documentation of oral traditions, biodiversity studies and visitor-behaviour analysis.
Highlighting technology as a key enabler, the Governor advocated creation of a comprehensive Tourism GIS platform and greater use of Artificial Intelligence for visitor forecasting, multilingual assistance, personalised itineraries, feedback analysis and destination management.
He stressed the need for scientific visitor management through carrying-capacity studies, advance booking systems, seasonal distribution of tourist flows and promotion of lesser-known destinations. These measures, he said, could contribute to making Arunachal Pradesh a smart and sustainable mountain tourism destination.
“The heart of Arunachal tourism is its people and their partaking,” the Governor said, emphasising the importance of local participation in tourism development.
He also called for an annual festival calendar, authentic cultural presentations and development of a distinctive Arunachal model of tourism based on community participation and personalised visitor experiences.
On infrastructure and services, the Governor stressed the need for quality hospitality at tourist destinations and along travel routes, affordable transportation, reliable information systems, professional tour operators and skilled manpower. He urged all stakeholders to work collectively to ensure quality, efficiency and sustainable growth of tourism in the state.
During the World Tourism Day programme, the Governor also conferred the annual State Tourism Awards. The Changlang-based Tikhak Homestay, owned by Bela Tikhak of Miaopum Tours and Travels, received the Best Homestay Award, while Suchusi Homestay, Ziro, and Bomdila Embassy, West Kameng, received commendation awards.
Tsering Wange, proprietor of M/s Himalayan Holidays, West Kameng, received the Best Tour Operator Award, whilst Ms BAC Voyages, Itanagar, and Gandhi Darang, proprietor of M/s Ane Siang Tours & Expeditions, received commendation awards.
Tourism Information Officer, Dibang Valley, Lamwang Aran received the Best Performing Tourism Officer Award.
The Governor also launched the Tourism Department’s online service portal developed under the Ease of Doing Business initiative and released the book Homestay Tourism in Arunachal Pradesh, authored by Dr Tashi Lungtan Kee and Dr Sankar Thappa.
On the occasion, Tourism Secretary Pagli Sora and Director Rujum Raksap highlighted the achievements and initiatives of the department.
The celebration also featured competitions in wall painting, AI videography, local cuisine presentation and local wine making. Tokmem Pertin and August Ligang won the Wall Painting Competition, Nending Napa won the AI Videography Competition, Beyealu Kri secured first prize in Local Cuisine Presentation and Tage Yani won the Local Wine Making Competition. Likha Miyu of M/s LM Enterprise received the Best Exhibitor Award.
As part of the Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat initiative, participants from Arunachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Meghalaya presented a joint cultural programme highlighting the diversity and unity of India’s cultural heritage. Roots Arunachal also staged a skit on Nasha Mukt Bharat, emphasising the importance of a drug-free society.
The programme was attended by Itanagar Municipal Corporation Mayor Likha Nari Tadar, IMC corporators, tourism officials, tour operators, homestay owners, students of Rajiv Gandhi University and Rajiv Gandhi Government Polytechnic, and members of Yuva Tourism Clubs.