Vast tourism potential in Assam

PART-III

Jatindra Nath Mahanta

(The writer can be reached at mahantajn12@gmail.com)

4) Golf and Tea Tourism have not been given due importance in our publicity campaign. Both have got huge potential. A photograph of a Tea garden was published in a newspaper recently under the title “A Green Sea”. It is a rare sight for most parts of our world.

As for Golf, it is worthwhile to mention that the Japanese technicians and engineers who worked in Kathalguri Thermal Power Project near Digboi/ Duliajan and often played Golf at the golf courses there, stated that it is cheaper to come from Tokyo to play 3 / 4 days Golf here than playing in Japan. Kaziranga Golf Resort, set up in 2011 by late HP Barooah, is a clear measure of huge potential of Golf Tourism in Assam.

The tea garden Managers in their beautiful chung bungalows can offer home stay facility to the tourist (on chargeable basis), show the simple yet intriguing tea making process after an exciting round of golf at the nearby course. Topping it up with a performance of Jhumur Dance at the front lawn of the bungalow in the evening under bright moonlight around a log fire, will be an experience unlikely to be forgotten by the tourist in a lifetime. Tour operators may tie up with tea gardens around golf courses and there will be over a hundred such tea gardens around twenty golf courses owned by the tea clubs. Tie up with the oil companies may also be a good idea as the facilities available there, are excellent. Digboi is specially recommended for its eighteen hole golf course with elephants/tigers/deer frequently visiting the golf club pavilion, world’s oldest operating oil refinery, the awesome oil museum, tea gardens surrounding it, a beautiful war cemetery and above all, around 50 chung bungalows on individual hillocks.

Golf courses are expensive to maintain and a number of tea gardens, after change of ownership from British to Indian companies, have closed a few golf courses. The state government can motivate these owners to revive the courses and convince them to play a big role in promoting tea and golf tourism. The courses owned by the oil companies are well maintained and the tour operators need to build close tie up with them.

C) Government and Public Initiatives: In order to promote tourism industry in Assam to take its rightful place in the Tourist Map of India and the World, it is necessary for both the State Government and the public to take certain initiatives besides the actions mentioned above.

i)First and foremost, mindsets of the State government as well as the people of the state need to change. We must treat the tourist as savior (of our economy) and not as some aliens. Our old Assamese hospitality must come out shining brightly as ever. The tourist should be made to feel at home. It should be remembered by one and all of us that Goa can commit murder and still tourist will visit Goa. But a stone hurled at a tourist in Assam will drive him away from Assam for a long time, if not for ever. We have seen this happen in reality in both cases. Mr. Mitterrand, the ex-President of France had once suggested that his people should learn to offer a smiling face to a tourist. Imagine, the Head of the Nation having the most visited tourist site (Eiffel Tower) in the world, making this suggestion to his people!! It shows the kind of importance attached to treating the tourist right.

ii) Cleanliness is one issue at our tourist site which can be best tackled by the local people. Each locality of a tourist site and event can form a Tourist Welfare Committee which will look after all tourist related issues and provide help and guidance to the tourists.

iii) Our leaders, officials and people in general must strive to practice and exhibit a level of welcoming attitude so as to send the right kind of signal to the whole world that we are ready to receive you with open arms.

iv) Travel Agencies & Tour Operators: There are not many local travel agencies & tour operators in Assam nor at the first touch points of foreign tourist in India which are primarily Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad. As a result, majority of the foreigners are not even aware of Assam as an exciting tourist destination. Then the tour operators in Assam are themselves not very keen to explore beyond Kamakhya, Kaziranga and Manas. Only lately, Rax Leela and Mukha Shilpa in Mazuli/Nalbari, Kaziranga Golf Resort, Assam Bhoroli Angling & Conservation Association’s Eco Camp and a few others, have been included in their tour packages. The tour operators and travel agencies must equip themselves with wide range of information together with an urge to ensure that the tourists are aware of the full vista of exciting prospect awaiting them in this remote corner of India. Another draw-back often felt by the tourist is lack of competent guides at the tourist sites. This deficiency needs to be tackled by the travel agencies. It only requires suitable training and motivation to unemployed youths in the state to turn them into competent guides.

v)Souvenir Shop: The souvenir shops will need to be set up and operated mostly by local people. These shops should be well stocked with the indigenous and ethnic items of the state and the locality. Of late, Mukha (Mask resembling various characters in Hindu mythology) has become famous in India and abroad due to untiring efforts of Mukha Artists like Late Kosha Kanta Dev Goswami of Natun Samaguri Xatra, Sri Reba Kanta Mahanta of Khatpar Xatra, Sivasagar and Dr. Hem Chandra Goswami of Natun Samaguri Xatra, Mazuli. Cane and Bamboo products of Assam, Bell metal works of Sarthebari and Silk wears of Sualkuchi have been famous for a long time. Miniature one-horned Rhino is another popular item with the tourist and it can be made of Wood, bamboo, metals (brass/ bronze/ steel/ gun metal) and cut glass.

vi)Welcoming the tourists: One of the most important considerations of the tourist in selecting a package is safety and security in a new place far away from home. And this can be best provided by the local people. A welcoming smile from the local people will do a lot to assure the tourist of a safe stay in an unknown place. We must make him feel safe and secure with our gestures and actions so that the tourist remembers the warmth of the welcoming smile long after he leaves our State. It is the least, each one of us can contribute towards boosting good will and thereby promoting tourism in our State. A satisfied tourist is a bigger publicity than a hundred magnificent posters displayed in airports around the world. It is left to us to create the right environment.

vii) Home Stay facility: Over and above the tea gardens, homestay facility can be explored in other private homes. As per information, a number of private homes of very high standard have started offering home stay facility for select band of tourists and reportedly tourists have enjoyed every moment of their stay. Since there are shortage of good hotels and restaurants, homestay arrangements may make up the shortfall to a large extent if it is properly explored and encouraged.

A news item in the November 2 issues of a few dailies has published that Assam Bhawan has been inaugurated by CM of Assam at Chennai on November 1. It will definitely be of help to some individuals from Assam but primarily add to tourism in Tamilnadu. It is suggested that Assam government offer a plot of land at Guwahati or in other major towns to each state government for building its ‘Bhawan’. It will make a tremendous impact on tourism in the state even if only 20 persons from each of the 33 states visit these Bhawans per month and spend 3 / 4 days here (NE states have their Bhawans at Guwahati).

It is noteworthy that Assam was represented in the Annual International Tourism Conclave/Festival held in London recently by a high level committee headed by Chairman of Assam Tourism Development Corporation. However, it is more important to complete the above tasks to prepare Assam for attracting tourists to the State. (Concluded)