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

IANS April 8, 2025 149 views

Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia is spearheading an innovative approach to boost Northeast India's tourism potential by studying successful models from Southeast Asian countries. The High Level Task Force, comprising chief ministers from Northeastern states, aims to create a unified strategy for tourism development. By identifying unique tourism circuits and leveraging the region's natural beauty, the initiative seeks to drive economic growth and employment. This collaborative effort represents a landmark intervention in positioning Northeast India as an attractive destination for domestic and international travelers.

"The region can leverage its rich heritage and natural beauty to drive sustainable development" - Jyotiraditya Scindia
New Delhi/Shillong/Agartala, April 7: 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.

Key Points

1

Northeast states collaborate to create comprehensive tourism strategy

2

High Level Task Force identifies tourism potential across 8 states

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Regional tourism circuits to attract domestic and global tourists

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Sustainable development through strategic tourism interventions

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.

Reader Comments

R
Rahul K.
This is such a positive initiative! The NE region has so much untapped potential. I visited Meghalaya last year and was blown away by the natural beauty. Hope they focus on eco-tourism models. 🌿
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Priya M.
While I appreciate the effort, I hope they don't just copy foreign models blindly. NE has unique tribal cultures that need to be preserved. Tourism development should be sensitive to local communities.
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Amit S.
Finally! The infrastructure needs major improvement though. I tried traveling across NE states last summer and the connectivity between states was challenging. Hope they address that first.
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Sunita R.
The food tourism angle is brilliant! Each NE state has such distinct cuisines that most Indians don't even know about. A food trail across the 8 states would be amazing. 😋
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Karan P.
Good to see all CMs working together on this. Usually states compete for tourists, but a coordinated NE approach makes more sense. The "one destination" branding could really work internationally.
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Neha T.
Hope they focus on sustainable tourism. The last thing we want is over-commercialization ruining the pristine landscapes. Maybe look at Bhutan's model of high-value, low-impact tourism?

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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Tags:
Northeast India Tourism Jyotiraditya Scindia DoNER Ministry Tourism Development Northeast Regional Strategy
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