Arunachal Pradesh records quick growth in tourist arrivals

Arunachal Pradesh recorded a leap in the number of tourist arrivals as around 26,00,000 domestic and 52,000 visited the state in the year as compared to the same period last year. The members of Arunachal Pradesh Tour Operators’ Association (APTOA) have contributed around 17 crores as revenue to the state treasury. Chief Minister Pema Khandu believes that the number of tourists will reach record number if the tourism potential of the state is completely exploited , which is next to only yet to be fully used hydro-power potential.

Chief Minister pins his hope high on tourism sector, which he believes to be the most practical way to fire up the state’s economy followed by agriculture and allied sectors. While addressing the APTOA’s 12^th Travel Congress at Itanagar on Friday, he also appreciated the association and its President John Panye for putting in sincere efforts to boost tourism sector and attaining exponential growth in the last 2 years. “In the meantime, we need to concentrate on tourism. Despite the increase in tourist inflow to the state, we are far behind when it comes to what we have to offer in terms of potential. With the immense potential available here we can attract tourists several times more than what we are doing right now,” Khandu added.

The Chief Minister had also asked the Tourism Department authorities to make a plan of the State Tourism Policy soon, which will design a roadmap for tourism sector’s growth. The tourism department has been granted Rs 144 crore to promote tourism considerably so that the number of tourists increases rapidly. He also invited the local businessmen and entrepreneurs to invest in the tourism sector and turn the tourism sector which favours high-end tourists.”The budding entrepreneurs can take advantage of the Deen Dayal Swawlamban Yojna, which offers 30% subsidy to loans up to Rs 1 crore for projects including the tourism sector,” he added.