Public-private initiative for NE tourism

Aizawl, Sep 24 (UNI) Blessed with vast stretches of picturesque hills and lush green glades, a new brand of tourism has developed in North-East by forging a useful public-Private Partnership(PPP).

Considering the enormous geographical diversity, rich handloom and handicrafts, Raj nostalgia associated with the tea industry, different battle sites of World War-II and the various war cemeteries, the Tourism Ministry has initiated the PPP venture for water rafting, mountaineering, rock climbing, trekking and hiking and wind surfing.

Talking to UNI on tourism development initiative in the region. Dr Sunita Malahota of Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, Darjeeling, who is closely associated with the initiative, said the PPP programme for infrastructure development in snowcapped Himalayan range of Arunachal Pradesh, the world's highest rainfall site at Sohra (Cherrapunjee) Meghalaya, the one-horned rhino at Kaziranga and Manas and the unique phenomenon of birds committing suicide in the Jatinga hills have been identified by the Centre.

''Meghalaya's cave tourism and Majuli island at Brahmaputra, the biggest river Island in the world, are the prospective areas selected for joint venture due to the tremendous potential for both capacity building and capital formation,'' she informed.

''The region has a tremendous locational advantage and almost 98 per cent of the borders of the North-East are international--a veritable gateway to the South-East Asia and the world, which presents a grand opportunity since the locational proximity can be leveraged to promote tourism in the region,'', Dr Malahota added.

Emphasising on the union government's initiative, she said steps for developing International tourist traffic to the region, training of local youth in tourism vocations and effective marketing and handicraft promotional efforts have already been undertaken.

DoNER officials said here that the ministry was working on the proposed East-West corridor project and there was an endeavor to establish the much-needed corridor between North East as a bridge to South East Asia for economic operation to make North East a hub for trade and commerce as well as a popular tourist destination.

The breathtaking beauty of North East has prompted many private parties to invest in tourism industry, contributing to employment generation and increased revenue earnings, sources mentioned.

More than seven private parties expressed interest to invest in tourism sector of NE but nothing has yet been finalised while allocation of tourism sector was increased by five fold in the tenth Five Year Plan, apart from sectoral budget funding.

The ministry has taken concerted effort to develop a tourist circuit linking various sites of interest in packages for the entire North East. About 6,19,765 tourists, including about three thousand foreigners visited the region this year so far, sources added.

UNI BB PL SAM RN1116