Planning key to tourism success, says Khandu

From Our Correspondent

Itagar, June 8: Aruchal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu has advocated an aggressive campaign for growth of tourism industry in the state. Declaring open the three-day Aruchal Tourism Annual Conference here on Wednesday, organised by the state Tourism Department, Khandu said lack of proper policy has prevented the state from exploiting its tourism potential.

The theme of the conference is ‘Tourist friendly Aruchal Pradesh’.

He requested the Tourism Department to depute expert consultants to prepare a roadmap, which would serve as a guide for the government to work. “Without aggressive campaign, tourism growth cannot be achieved,” he said.

He assured the department that a sizeable fund has been placed for the campaign so that Aruchal is known tiolly and intertiolly as the best tourist destition. The chief minister also requested the department to focus on proper planning to avoid unnecessary expenditure and referred to many unused tourism infrastructure across the state.

Khandu encouraged the participants to provide their feedback and experiences on the ground. He also encouraged them to go for many tourism-related schemes launched by the state government.

Earlier in his keynote address, Tourism Parliamentary Secretary Pasang Dorjee So said that state cannot wait for infrastructure when it has so much to offer.

“Promote the state in right perspective; when visibility is gained, tourists will start to come,” he said, requesting the media not to blow negative news out of proportion that may deter tourist inflow.

Tourism Secretary Joram Beda underlined the achievements made by the tourism department in the last few years. He highlighted the success of tourism promotion campaign being launched across the tion and schemes being implemented in the state that are proving helpful for the local tourism entrepreneurs.