"This is the first event of its kind ever organised in India. The main purpose of the Mart is to help people from other countries get to know the unexplored paradise that the North Eastern region is," Union Tourism Secretary Parvez Dewan told reporters here.
While the event began today, the formal inauguration would be done tomorrow morning by Assam Governor J B Patnaik and Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Tourism K Chiranjeevi.
Besides the seven north eastern states, the Mart is also highlighting the tourism potential of West Bengal and Sikkim.
Besides 85 buyer delegates from 23 countries, the Mart would also be attended by Cambodia's Vice Minister for Tourism Kousoum Saroeuth, Lao Democratic Peoples' Republic's Deputy Minister for Culture and Tourism Savankhon Razmontry and Singapore Tourism Board Executive Director Chee-Pey Chang.
Dewan said that besides cultural events and technical sessions, there would also be 90 Business-to-Business round tables where discussion for closer relations among travel fraternity and hospitality players of North Eastern region, West Bengal, other states of India, Europe, North America, SARRC and ASEAN regions.
The Mart would be followed by an Adventure Tourism Operators' Conference organised by the Assam government on January 20. Familiarisation tours of North East states for foreign delegates have been set up for January 21-28.
Dewan said the number of international tourists who visited the North East went up to 58,920 in 2011 from 50,950 in 2010. MORE