Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI: At long last, peace has started paying its dividend in the tourism sector, with as many as 27 European countries lifting their restrictive travel advisories to Assam today. These countries issued travel restrictions to Assam for their citizens in 1979 when the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), 1958, was imposed in the state.
On this development, Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma said, "It's encouraging news for Assam. This travel advisory revision by the European countries has erased the long-pending blot that depicted Assam as a disturbed area. Apart from increasing foreign tourists' footfall, this development will certainly create an investment-friendly atmosphere in the state. This timely development, following the recent visit of EU diplomats, is a strong vote of confidence in Assam and bodes well for deeper EU-Assam engagement. It will further strengthen tourism, business and people-to-people ties. Grateful to the EU's ambassador to India, Herve Delphin, for his support in taking this forward."
The chief minister further said, "During Advantage Assam 2.0, we approached Japan and Australia to lift their travel advisories to Assam, and they did that soon after. Today, 27 European countries lift their respective travel advisories. We're also liaising with the US and Canada, persuading them to lift their travel advisories to Assam. After today's development, tourists from countries like Austria, Denmark, Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, France, Greece, Hungary, etc., will come to Assam freely."
The chief minister said, "What ought we to do now? Generally foreign tourists want to spend time with nature. Now our focus should be on homestays, campsites, indigenous cuisine, etc. We need to publicise all these facilities on social media in English. I'll ask the Tourism Department to create a special website to load all such information, besides introducing a single-window booking system. Tourist flow to the state will also develop ancillary industries, leading to the creation of job avenues for the local people. To make the plan happen and keep it up, the support and cooperation from the local populace are a must."
From April 2025 to May 2026, Kaziranga National Park had a footfall of around 32,000 foreign tourists. In 2004-05, the entire state had a footfall of 7,285 foreign tourists.
Also Read: ASSEB To Declare HSLC Compartmental Result On 23rd June