Govt eyes marketing North East in global tourism fest

Over 150 foreign delegates from the US, the UK, Japan, France, Australia, Germany, Russia, South Korea and Sweden will take part in the three-day International Tourism Mart beginning tomorrow at Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh, a senior tourism official said.
The foreign delegation will mainly comprise international tour operators and senior media personalities, he added.
The Tourism Mart was being organised by the Union Ministry of Tourism.
"The main objective of this tourism conclave is to sell brand North East to the outer world. We have everything in the North East but what we are lacking is marketing them," India Tourism Deputy Director General Sanjay Shreevats told PTI.

North East has so much variation in its culture that a glimpse of a big country can be seen and the proposed conclave aims to showcase the diverse culture of the region to the world, he added.
"Although hundreds of domestic delegates will take part, our focus will be on foreign invitees," Shreevats said, adding, that so far, over 160 foreign delegates have confirmed their participation.

The media personalities and tour operators joining the Mart will be coming from Australia, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Myanmar, Norway, Oman, Brunei Darussalam, The Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, the UK and the US.

Nearly 150 persons, mainly tour operators, will also take part from Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Meghalaya, Sikkim and West Bengal.
Shreevats said Tourism ministers of many participating states will attend sessions along with senior bureaucrats from the state and Central governments.