Tourists during the Hornbill Festival
Tourists during the Hornbill Festival at the Naga Heritage Village, Kisama. (Morung File Photo)
Our Correspondent
Kohima | February 24
Nagaland’s Tourism and Art & Culture Advisor, H Khehovi Yeputhomi today said that North East India is a haven for tourists, beckoning those who need to relax and unwind.
Speaking at the 1st North East Tour Operator’s Meet (NETOM) here at East-Gate, the advisor said that the entire North East is an area of beauty and variety.
“It is a land of majestic mountains crowned with peaks of sapphire blue and all its brooks and pools are filled with ambrosial water. It is also a land with woods and tress of fruits, and orchards and of groves filled with silence,” Yeputhomi said.
“We have the ability to make northeast as one of the major hotspots for tourism not just in India, but in the world,” the advisor said.
Regretting that the human race is faced with many problems and environmental crisis at present, he stressed on the need to promote environmental tourism which can be beneficial and sustainable at the same time, “making our stay on earth a blissful and meaningful experience.”
Nagaland Tourism's Additional Secretary, Martha R Ritse said that North East as a whole is like a “Mini India” with its rich cultural and natural heritage aptly becoming our unique selling point.
“Our beautiful villages amidst the terrace fields, folk song and dances are melodious and rhythmic which has become niche tourism for us,” Ritse said.
Stating that northeast people are known for hospitality and good communication skills, she said “Our festivals and rich culture is slowly getting world recognition."
"We must come together and make North East region a true, hot, organic tourist destination," she said.
Framing of NE tourism policy
Meanwhile, the meet resolved that the North East Tour Operators will be represented under the umbrella of rejuvenated North East India Travel Confederation (NEITC).
It resolved that North East Tour Operators Meet will now become an annual calendar event and Sikkim will host the next meet in 2021.
The meet resolve to involve every state government agency in all NETOM.
It also resolved to give capacity building for skilled development of stakeholders.
It resolved that road shows will be organized under the banner of NEITC in South Asian countries and approach NEC, DoNER, NEDFi for funding and other resources.
The meet also resolved to pursue framing of North East Tourism Policy through DoNER or NEC to make a principle priority to safeguard the interest and tourism development of North East India as one destination and protecting the interest of the region.
Other resolutions include re-amendment of Bi-Lateral Air service agreement between India & Myanmar by Ministry of Civil Aviation to announce POINT of Call for airports in North East India particularly Manipur and Tripura, Act East policy initiative to be given an impetus for development of tourism and & trade industry and annual consultative meeting between trade industry bodies viz; FICC, CIH and others and tourism industry stakeholders.
