Introduction:
North-East India is well blessed by Nature, and it lies at the centre of one of the world’s richest bio-geographic areas. It is the treasure house of various economic resources. Moreover, it has a rich cultural and ethnic heritage that can easily make it a tourist spot. Tourism has the greatest potential for generating income and employment opportunities in North-East Indian states because NE India is not only characterized by the blending of flora and fauna, it is also exceptionally rich in bio-diversity. Moreover, the wildlife sanctuaries at various places of North-East India can attract tourists all over the world. Further, tea tourism and golf tourism of NE India can also attract tourists to this region. Thus, northeast India has a huge potential in the tourism industry in the near future, which will maintain a bright prospect of economic development in the region.
Importance of Tourism:
Tourism is arguably the world’s largest and fastest-growing industry. Most governments encourage tourism to spread economic development and reduce inequalities in income distribution by providing jobs. Tourism has been fund as a major area for revenue generation and regional economic growth in northeast India. Tourism has figured as one of the major thrust areas in the proposed Thai investment in the northeast. The central Indian government and provincial governments in the Northeast have taken several policy initiatives with the twofold objectives of promoting industrial development and investment in the Northeast and projecting the region as a potential driver of the Look East Policy (LEP). In 2008, the NEC (Northeastern Council) formed the North Eastern States Tourism Forum (NEST) with representation from the various states to coordinate intra-state and inter-state tourism plans, such as consolidation of circuits and marketing.
Prospect and Potential of Tourism Industry:
Though Northeast India is a very backward region in the whole country, it has the greatest potential to develop the region into a potent force through the tourism industry. North-East India is well blessed by Nature, and it lies at the centre of one of the world’s richest bio-geographic areas. It is the treasure house of various economic resources. Moreover, it has a rich cultural and ethnic heritage that can easily make it a tourist spot. Tourism has the greatest potential for generating income and employment opportunities in North-East Indian states because NE India is not only characterized by the blending of flora and fauna, it is also exceptionally rich in bio-diversity. The wildlife sanctuaries at various places of North-East India can attract tourists all over the world. For example, the national park of Kaziranga in the district of Golaghat is a gift of Nature. It is a heavenly place for tourists because of its world-famous one-horned rhinoceros. Besides Kaziranga, there is the Manas riverine situated towards the western part of the district of Baksa. Besides the animals and the birds of various kinds roaming, singing and playing in the vast green forest, the region has many ornamental fishes, rare plants, medicinal herbs and exotic orchids.
The world’s largest river island, ‘Majuli’, will encourage the tourism industry in NE India to a great extent. There are various historical monuments and historical places like Sonitpur (at present Tezpur)-the capital of Ban Raja, Garhgaon-the capital of the Ahoms, Jerangapathar-a place where Joymati sacrificed her life for her husband, etc. which will attract the tourists. There are various religious places and temples like the Kamakhya temple, the Umananda temple, the Agnigarh and the Mahabhairavi temples of Sonitpur etc., which will encourage the tourism industry in NE India. Besides, the wooded hill stations like Haflong, Tawang, Shillong, Gangtok, etc., will attract tourists for hiking, trekking and camping. North-East India is also very rich in cultural heritage. It is a heavenly abode of various tribes, castes and communities having their religious and cultural festivals.
Challenges and Problems of Tourism:
Although tourism has a great potentiality for generating income and employment opportunities in NE India. But even then, no perceptible change has been seen in this sector of the economy due to some problems. The main constraints that are coming into the way of its development are self-explanatory, which can be identified as (a) Lack of infrastructure, (b) Communication bottlenecks, (c) Geographical isolation, (d) Ethnic clashes leading to political instability, (e) Growth of insurgent activities (f) Lack of fund (g) Absence of leadership and entrepreneurship ability, (h) Indifferent attitude of the Government both at State and Central level (i) Defective socio-economic and political set up (j) Lack of a proper tourism development policy of the Government (k) Lack of people’s co-operation and consciousness, (l) Lack of proper friendly investment atmosphere (m) Absence of congenial atmosphere to attract the tourists and such many other factors.
Measures to Improve Tourism activities:
Some of the measures that can help in improving tourism activities in Northeast India are discussed below:
1. A strong political will is excessive in need for the restoration of peace and political stability in the area with a wholehearted effort including political dialogue with the various insurgent groups working in NE India should be made to redress their grievances within the framework of the Indian constitution in a democratic manner.
2. Government should make a huge investment to break the geographical isolation and remove communication bottlenecks from NE Indian states.
3. Planned efforts are to be made by the Government to build up the required infrastructure of the region.
4. Proper tourism development policy is the need of the hour and for this Government should do a thorough survey in the region.
5. Planned, sustained and well-thought long term efforts are to be made by the Government to improve the socio-economic and political set-up of NE India.
6. Above all, people’s consciousness to develop their own area through the development of tourism industry is a great need of the hour. Moreover, people should voluntarily come out and desist the terrorists from doing anti-national activities.
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