The Department of Tourism, Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh organized their first Tourism Conclave in Delhi on 24th March 2017. I am glad that I participated in the event as a traveler cum travel blogger because it made me sit upright, notice the hidden beauty of the biggest state of North East and firmly say that it has tremendous scope to invite tourists from all over the world. Honestly, I have not touched upon North Eastern states as elaborately as I would want to and therefore this also came as a lovely opportunity to learn about the rich biodiversity and ecotourism attractions of one of the most beautiful states of India. By the end of the day, I was completely fascinated and spellbound with its spectrum of culture. Such events are important because they wake us up and make us talk about the hidden travel and tourism opportunities all over our country. For instance, the conclave helped me dissipate some of my misinformation and aroused my curiousness around Arunachal Pradesh.
Everything that you may ask for is tucked in the state!! says Shri Kiren Rijiju
The event was graced by Chief Guest, Shri Kiren Rijiju, Union Minister of State for Home, Government of India. I think he was just the right person to get the event started because he got all the ears raised when he shared that he had traveled to 154 countries. He was often referred as Ghoomakad (meaning a continuous traveler) by his teachers in school. Being an avid traveler, he vouched that Arunachal Pradesh had the potential to compete with any place on the Earth because of its strategic location and culture. He also emphasized on the fact that the beauty of nature in Arunachal Pradesh was secondary to the beauty of culture. He accepted the fact that tourism infrastructure was not one of the best but assured that department of tourism in the State was committed to developing all that was needed to attract travelers and holiday makers. Last but not least, he rightly pointed out that one should have the mindset to explore and peep into the beauty of this land. There may be shortcomings in the infrastructure but the gorgeousness of the place will win over everything else. The minister was running short of time to his other commitments, else we would have all loved to hear him more.
Peeking into the dance and culture of ARUNACHAL PRADESH!
The cultural show that followed was beautifully put together by young students who belonged to different tribes of the state.
Next, Dr. Joram Beda, Tourism Secretary, Government of Arunachal Pradesh took us through the unique offerings of the state. He elaborated on the theme based events that the state was already celebrating. Some of the not-to-be-missed fests are Tawang festival, Ziro festival of music, Arunachal spring carnival, adventure at Mechuka and the Kameng river festival.
Another important aspect of the event was the signing up of Memorandum of Understanding for strategic partnerships between four key partners to work together to promote and attract tourists in the pristine state. Oxigen Wallet, Make My Trip, Travel Agents Association of India, FlyWings are the four partners who have come forward to promote tourism in Arunachal. Last but not the least, The National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC) will be the Creative and Brand Development partner to the department of Tourism.
The “DO YOU KNOW?” placards were really very informative! Honestly, I did not know any of these facts.
1.Up in the misty mountains of Arunachal Pradesh resides the stupendous 17 century Tawang monastery which overlooks the Tawang valley at an altitude of 10,000 feet.
2.Arunachal Pradesh is known to have 10 Wildlife sanctuaries and national parks, a high level of which is important for a suitable bio-diversity.
3.The evergreen forest of Arunachal Pradesh covers around 82% of the land mass making the state a highly desirable destination.
4.The beauty of diversity is reflected in the state’s pride of having over 500 varieties of orchids blooming towards the glory of Arunachal Pradesh.
5.The flamboyant state of Arunachal Pradesh encompasses 26 major tribes and 100 sub-tribes developing a culturally rich eco-system.
6.Arunachal Pradesh is interconnected making it an accessible state with 12 connecting circuits making it an amazing travel experience.
Some more interesting things that Dr. Joram Beda shared were
- The state is called “Land of Rising sun”.
- 12 Tourist Circuits are available in Arunachal Pradesh
- Thembong offers community-based tourism
- Mechuka Caves – Guru Nanak Caves
- Parshuram Kund is a sacred place on the Brahmaputra plateau in the lower reaches of the Lohit River
- Tallest Shivlinga (25 feet) is in Arunachal Pradesh
- Arunachal has the lowest population density of any state in India
- Kangto is the highest peak in the state.
- It gets a good amount of rainfall each year.
- The state offers everything from religious to adventure tourism.
Picture Courtesy: SHUTTERSTOCK
About Department of Tourism, Government of Arunachal Pradesh
Department of Tourism, Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh has made a humble beginning to create tourism infrastructure at different locations. It may be noted that Arunachal Pradesh has tremendous scope for development of various types of tourism activities, such as Cultural tourism, Adventure tourism, Historical tourism, Wildlife tourism, Nature-based tourism and Eco-tourism. Keeping in view all the factors and rich tourism potentiality of the state, the Department of Tourism, during last couple of years had taken up various developmental programs to boost up tourism activities in the state.
From being an Eco Tourism hotspot that boasts of rich and diverse biodiversity to allowing for a complete cultural, religious and spiritual immersion, as well as ample options for heritage and adventure tourism. The tourism industry in the state is well poised for growth and is looking for yearly growth of around 20% in the next three years. The department of Tourism is working to overcome the inherent infrastructure challenges and transportation bottlenecks as the sector moves from its nascent stage into the country’s tourism foray. Beyond the unique tourism options, travelers are now spoilt for choice with the types of accommodation ranging from star hotels, resorts, tourist lodges and popular home stays in the state.
HAPPY TRAVELING!!!
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Great post keep up the good work.
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You know what? I was also invited for this event but I live a bit away. 😉
Arunachal Pradesh has so much to offer, I can easily spend a month there. Good that people now started noticing it for tourism. North- east really needs a hand to hold.