Make ‘Dekho Apna Desh’ the first agenda, then visit abroad: Arunachal CM

Itanagar, Sep 27 (IANS) ‘Dekho Apna Desh’ should be the first agenda on our bucket list before visiting foreign countries, said Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on the occasion of World Tourism Day on Friday.

The Chief Minister also lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for initiating the campaign — “Dekho Apna Desh” and said that the ‘call’ holds much significance in view of the diversity India possesses.

Khandu informed that the state government, taking a cue from the national campaign, launched its own ‘Dekho Apna Pradesh’ campaign and has to date organised six tours taking tourism stakeholders across the state.

“Arunachal Pradesh is so much blessed with varieties of geographical, climatic and cultural ambience that calls for its own people to visit and explore,” he said.

Khandu observed that many Arunachalees haven’t visited places within the state territory except their own areas but have visited a couple or more foreign countries.

He insisted that before enriching themselves with the culture and places of other countries people should first explore their own state and country.

As Arunachal Pradesh has immense tourism potential, the Chief Minister revealed that in order to leverage the untapped tourism potential, the state government will soon notify a new ‘Tourism Policy’, including film, farm, wine and eco-tourism, homestay policy, to provide holistic experiences to domestic and foreign tourists, attract investments and provide employment and self-employment opportunities for the youths.

He assured that this policy will focus on preserving local culture and heritage through community involvement and showcasing local champions.

Khandu reiterated the push for growth of high-end, niche tourism in the state keeping in mind the ecological carrying capacity of the high-tourism potential locations.

Uncontrolled tourism and rampant tourist flow, he said, will ultimately take a toll on the state’s culture, biodiversity and environment and advocated high-end, niche tourism in the long run.

“We do not want a crowd. Crowds produce garbage and pollution. We want sustainable tourism while preserving our rich biodiversity. High-end tourism, in line with Bhutan, is the only way forward,” he said.

While observing that tourists would not come to see how developed the state is but to see its unique culture, its hills and forests, its biodiversity, flora and fauna, Khandu insisted that all these factors should be preserved for posterity.

To diversify the state’s tourism offerings and attract a broader audience, Khandu assured to develop state-of-the-art infrastructure for adventure sports, including trekking, rafting, angling, paragliding and rock climbing, catering to thrill-seekers and nature enthusiasts.

“We intend to build a Sports Tourism Ecosystem in collaboration with the National Institute of Mountaineering and Adventure Sports (NIMAS), based at Dirang, to impart Certificate courses for the youth.”

He called upon the youth to take advantage of the UNNATI scheme launched by the Prime Minister during his last visit to Itanagar.

He informed that under the scheme tourism in the northeast gets a major share, of which Arunachal will get a share of Rs 900 crores.

“I call upon our youths to approach the Department of Industries with innovative concepts to avail the scheme and propel forward our tourism industry,” he said.

Likewise, Khandu informed, that the Union budget this year too has offered a ‘special assistance for infrastructure development in tourism’ to Arunachal Pradesh of about Rs 250 crores.

He added that tourism, with the support of all stakeholders, will become the engine of growth for Arunachal Pradesh in the coming years.

Social media influencers promoting Arunachal Pradesh as a tourist destination were felicitated on the occasion of World Tourism Day.

–IANS

sc/dan