Itanagar, Sep 27 (IANS) Arunachal Pradesh Governor Lt Gen K.T. Parnaik (Retd) on Sunday called for developing a comprehensive tourism GIS platform and using Artificial Intelligence (AI) for visitor forecasting, multilingual assistance, personalised itineraries, feedback analysis and destination management to make the state a smart and sustainable mountain tourism destination.
The Governor on Sunday participated in the World Tourism Day celebration at Itanagar and conferred the annual state tourism awards on the occasion.
Addressing the function, he said that tourism reflects the personality of a state and is far more than an economic activity. It creates livelihoods, empowers local communities, preserves cultural heritage and strengthens national integration.
Highlighting the Unique Selling Propositions (USP) of Arunachal Pradesh Tourism, the Governor said that the state possesses all the ingredients to become a leading destination for responsible and experiential tourism. The state’s greatest strengths are its pristine natural environment, rich biodiversity, living tribal heritage, vibrant festivals, spiritual traditions and breathtaking landscapes, he said.
Lt Gen Parnaik (Retd) emphasised that Arunachal Pradesh must promote a diverse range of tourism, including eco-tourism, cultural tourism, adventure tourism, spiritual tourism, rural and homestay tourism, agro-tourism, wildlife tourism, wellness tourism, border tourism and festival tourism. The state’s unique advantage lies in offering all these experiences within one destination.
The Governor said that the tourism vision must go beyond a few popular destinations and include every district, valley and community as stakeholders in the tourism economy. He advocated integrated tourism circuits combining all essential dimensions, including eco, cultural, adventure and heritage, to encourage longer stays and wider distribution of tourism benefits.
Emphasising community participation, the Governor said that every suitable tourism village should have quality homestays where visitors can experience local cuisine, agriculture, crafts, folklore and traditional lifestyles. Universities and colleges should support tourism through research, documentation of oral traditions, biodiversity studies and visitor-behaviour analysis.
He stressed scientific visitor management through carrying-capacity studies, advance booking systems, seasonal distribution and promotion of lesser-known destinations. The Governor said that the heart of Arunachal tourism is its people and their participation. Youth can become trained guides and entrepreneurs, while women can lead homestays, food enterprises and craft-based tourism initiatives.
He also called for an annual festival calendar, authentic cultural presentations and a distinctive “Arunachal Model of Tourism” based on community participation and personalised visitor experiences. Emphasising the need to strengthen tourism infrastructure and services, the Governor called for quality hospitality at destinations and along travel routes, affordable transportation, reliable information systems, professional tour operators and skilled manpower.
He urged all stakeholders to work together to ensure quality, efficiency and sustainable growth of tourism in the State. As part of the World Tourism Day celebration, the state Tourism Department organised various competitions, which enhance tourism activities. The Department of Tourism, the nodal department for the Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat (EBSB) initiative in Arunachal Pradesh, introduced the participants of the EBSB programme and the Dekho Apna Pradesh tour.
Participants from Arunachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Meghalaya, states paired under the EBSB initiative, showcased the spirit of national integration through a joint cultural presentation highlighting the diversity and unity of India’s cultural heritage.
The Governor launched the Tourism Department’s online Service portal developed under the Ease of Doing Business initiative on the occasion. He also released a book titled ‘Homestay Tourism in Arunachal Pradesh’ authored by Dr Tashi Lungtan Kee and Dr Sankar Thappa on the occasion.
–IANS
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