While the Ministry of Tourism, Assam, proudly showcases rising tourist footfall figures year after year, a closer look reveals a glaring flaw—there is no concrete methodology to count the actual number of domestic or foreign tourists visiting the state. The absence of a standardised data collection mechanism not only casts doubt on the accuracy of these figures but also highlights systemic inefficiencies within the state's tourism management.
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According to sources from the Directorate of Tourism, Assam, the current practice relies heavily on ticket sales from various tourist sites such as museums, planetariums, archaeological monuments, zoos, parks, wildlife sanctuaries, religious sites, and hotel occupancy data. This fragmented approach leads to discrepancies, with repeated counts of tourists visiting multiple sites across districts or those making frequent visits within a short timeframe.
“There is no definite methodology or formula to count the footfall,” admitted a source from the Directorate of Tourism while speaking to GPlus. “We gather the data from all the districts based on the earlier pattern of tickets and stays. We have discussed the same with the ministry, hoping some proper measures are put forward.”
Another official highlighted the competitive aspect between states, stating, “There is no formula possible to fit in at present. The counting method should be implemented nationally by the Centre, then it will be followed everywhere. Now it is rather a competition between states.”
This lack of data integrity was further exposed in the 'Performance Audit on the Working of Assam Tourism Development Corporation Limited (ATDC)', conducted by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India. The audit covered the activities of ATDC from 2010-11 to 2014-15, focusing on the corporation's role in fulfilling the objectives outlined in the State Tourism Policy.
Established in June 1988 under the Companies Act of 1956, the ATDC was created to boost tourism in Assam through the development of infrastructure and tourist facilities. However, the CAG report paints a less-than-flattering picture of the corporation’s performance.
While ATDC reported profits during the audited period, these gains were not derived from tourism activities but from interest earned on fixed deposits made using capital grants from the Government of India and the Government of Assam. This raises serious concerns about the corporation’s effectiveness in generating revenue from core tourism-related activities.
The report highlighted that Assam’s tourism sector lacks authentic data on tourist inflow due to the failure of the Government of Assam and ATDC to establish a robust data collection mechanism. Moreover, no benchmark surveys were conducted to assess the potential of tourist destinations across the state. The report recommended a standardised, technology-driven system to track tourist inflow, with integration across all tourist sites, hotels, and transportation hubs.
