Itanagar, Oct 29 (IANS) Union Minister for Tourism and Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Thursday highlighted the immense tourism potential of the Northeast, saying its rich biodiversity, cultural heritage, spiritual traditions and scenic landscapes offer unique opportunities for adventure, nature-based and experiential tourism.
Addressing the inaugural function of the 14th edition of the International Tourism Mart (ITM) in Arunachal Pradesh's at Tawang, Shekhawat particularly emphasised the potential of adventure tourism, music festivals and concert tourism to attract new visitor segments, encourage longer stays and generate economic opportunities for local communities.
He also called for developing tourism experiences with appropriate safety standards, community participation and environmental safeguards.
The Union Minister highlighted the Central government's continued focus on improving connectivity, tourism infrastructure and destination experiences in the Northeastern region.
He also underlined the Ministry's support for tourism promotion through domestic and international travel fairs, festivals, digital platforms and familiarisation visits, along with skill development initiatives to create employment opportunities for local youth.
The 14th edition of the ITM organised by the Union Ministry of Tourism in association with the Arunachal Pradesh government and other Northeastern state governments.
The three-day Mart, being held from October 29 to 31, aims to showcase the tourism potential of the eight Northeastern states and strengthen business engagement with domestic and international tourism markets.
The inaugural session was held in the presence of Suresh Gopi, Minister of State for Tourism and Petroleum and Natural Gas; Sukanta Majumdar, Minister of State for Education and Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER); Pema Khandu, Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh; and Prem Singh Tamang, Chief Minister of Sikkim.
Tourism Ministers from the Northeastern states, senior officials of the Central and state governments, international and domestic tourism stakeholders and representatives of the travel industry were also present.
Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat emphasised that the International Tourism Mart has evolved beyond a promotional platform into an important avenue for tourism partnerships and business opportunities.
He said that the ITM is not merely a tourism marketplace; it is a platform for building partnerships, generating business opportunities and creating a shared vision for the growth of tourism in the Northeast region.
Earlier, addressing a press conference, Shekhawat highlighted that the 14th ITM has brought together 43 international buyers from 22 countries, the highest-ever international buyer participation at ITM, along with 42 domestic buyers from 16 states and Union Territories and 81 sellers.
He emphasised that hosting the Mart in Tawang would bring greater attention to lesser-known destinations in the Northeastern region and showcase their tourism potential to domestic and international markets.
Highlighting the growth of tourism in the region, Shekhawat noted that domestic tourist visits to the eight Northeastern states increased from 95.65 lakh in 2019 to 1.51 crore in 2025, registering a growth of around 58 per cent.
The Union Minister also highlighted the Central government's continued focus on strengthening tourism infrastructure and connectivity in the region.
He informed that 16 projects worth Rs 1,309 crore have been sanctioned under Swadesh Darshan 1.0, 17 projects worth Rs 564 crore under Swadesh Darshan 2.0, nine projects worth Rs 139 crore under Challenge Based Destination Development, nine projects worth Rs 790 crore under SASCI and nine projects worth Rs 258 crore under PRASHAD.
Additionally, the Ministry has supported ten tourism routes in the Northeastern region under the Regional Connectivity Scheme–UDAN.
He reiterated the Union government's commitment to promoting sustainable tourism, improving visitor experiences and creating livelihood opportunities for local communities.
During the inaugural session, Minister of State for Tourism Suresh Gopi highlighted the opportunities for developing innovative tourism products, including cultural, adventure, festival and community-based experiences.
He also emphasised the importance of the Ministry's initiatives, Dekho Apna Desh 2.0 and the National Digital Tourism Stack, in promoting lesser-known destinations and improving digital visibility and market access for local tourism service providers.
As part of the ITM, the North East Bazaar was inaugurated, showcasing traditional handicrafts, handlooms and other cultural offerings of the region.
A cultural programme highlighting the rich traditions of the Northeastern states was also organised.
The Mart will feature tourism presentations by all eight Northeastern states and structured B2B meetings.
A regional meeting of Tourism Ministers of the Northeastern states will be held on Friday to deliberate on tourism development, regional cooperation, tourist facilitation and emerging tourism opportunities.
The 14th edition marks the return of the International Tourism Mart to Tawang after 13 years, following the second edition held here in 2013.
The event seeks to strengthen tourism partnerships, promote lesser-known destinations and position the North-Eastern Region as a leading destination for sustainable and experience-based tourism.
