ARUNACHAL Pradesh is organising a series of festivals to attract tourists. The venture has caught the attention of the tourist trade.  

Brahmaputra Darshan Festival, Buddha Mahotsava Festival and Festival of Arunachal have made a visible impact on the inflow of tourists, says G N Sinha, Tourism Secretary. The events have also helped in creating awareness about the growth potential in the state. A spin off benefit is the growth of amenities as hotels and way side facilities even in remote areas. Festivals apart, the government was implementing various schemes under the state plan as well as with funds from the Centre to develop adventure tourism, aero sports and opening of touch screen kiosks, Sinha says. Arunachal has 82 per cent of its geographical area under forest cover displaying phenomenal bio-diversity. It is for this reason that the state has been identified as one of the 25 hot spots of mega bio-diversity in the world.

Another Plus from tourism point, according to Sinha, is the presence of close symbiotic relationship between habitants and the cultural diversity, which opens up great opportunity for development of eco-tourism. Arunachal Pradesh is  one of the few states to have announced a separate tourism policy in 2001, with its gaze set at developing tourism as an industry and use it as an engine of growth.. Arunachal Chambers of Commerce and Industry held ‘Arunachal Expo 2003’ at Rajiv Gandhi Stadium Naharlagun from Sept 29 to Oct 8. The Expo offered a window to about 80 local entrepreneurs and business community to show case their products.

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