GUWAHATI: Foreign tourist arrivals in the Northeast region have shown an upward trend over the years. The region received a total of 1.69 lakh foreign tourist visits during 2017 as against 1.45 lakh in 2016 registering a growth of 16.7% over 2016.
The Domestic Tourist Visits reached to 95.47 lakh in the year 2017 against 77.71 lakh registering impressive double-digit growth of 22.8% over 2016.
The increased number of tourists, in turn, has created better employment opportunity for the local population in the region.
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The Ministry of Tourism has taken several initiatives for the growth of domestic and international tourism in the region. One of the many challenges regions faces in the development of tourism is the absence of quality infrastructure, services and awareness about the array of tourism products region has to offer.
Impetus has been given to the tourism infrastructure in the region under its flagship schemes of Swadesh Darshan and PRASHAD. The ministry has sanctioned 16 projects for Rs. 1349.04 crores covering all North Eastern States under its schemes of Swadesh Darshan and PRASHAD.
The Ministry is also actively working with other Central Ministries like Mo/Culture, M/o DONER, M/o Road Transport and Highways, M /o Civil Aviation etc. for development of Tourism in the region. For promotion of North East region, the Ministry carries out special promotion in domestic and international markets highlighting regions diversity, tourism products and its rich culture. The Ministry of Tourism has also set up Hotel Management and Food Craft Institutes for creating skilled manpower in tourism and hospitality sector in the North Eastern Region.