With the State recording an increase in inflow of tourists to the State, the State Government is now planning to boost the tourism sector by encouraging entrepreneurship in the sector.
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has recently said that the Government is planning an incentive scheme to helping the small tour operators to avail bank loans at subsidised loans and develop innovative facilities to attract more tourists.
According to the statistics of the State Tourism department the number of tourists visiting Assam has gone up to 47 lakh in 2013 compared to only 10 lakh in 2001.
“If we can encourage entrepreneurship in tourism we can generate more jobs. Creation of employment opportunity will help us fight problem such as militancy. We are still lagging behind in reaping benefits of the natural beauty, wildlife and traditional lifestyle for tourism purposes but many young people have taken the initiative to promote nature tourism. We want to encourage them further by giving them subsidy in availing loan from banks or any other incentives so that they develop innovative facilities for eco-tourism, attract more and more tourists and generate jobs,” Gogoi said recently.
The CM has said that from the religious sites to nature and wildlife should be exploited for tourism purposes without hampering the ecological balance. “We need to work out innovative packages to attract tourists such as we can use the process of paddy cultivation for tourism purposes. Many tourists would like to plant paddy saplings or take a ride on a bullock cart for enjoyment,” he said.
The Tourism department is also planning to encourage packaged tour to Kaziranga National Park, Majuli island in Upper Assam, Horrnbill festival in Nagaland as well as provide home stay facilities to attract tourists.