India: International Tourism Mart Begins In Guwahati

To showcase the tourism potential of northeast India an international tourism mart has been organized in Guwahati, the capital of Assam. Beginning on January on 19, the carnival is aimed to bring together the business fraternity & entrepreneurs behind the tourism products & services of eight northeast Indian States with West Bengal.

Organized by the Indian Union tourism ministry the mart will be formally inaugurated by Assam Governor J B Patnaik in presence of Union tourism minister K. Chiranjeevi at Sarusajai indoor stadium. The event is expected to witness the participation of 85 buyer delegates from 23 countries.
Location of Assam in India

Location of Assam in India

Addressing a media briefing in Guwahati on January 18, Parvez Dewan, Indian tourism secretary expressed hope that the international tourism endeavor would facilitate meetings involving buyers, sellers, media, government agencies with others.

“This is the first event of its kind ever organised in India and the main purpose of the carnival is to help people from other countries get to know the unexplored paradise that the northeastern region,” he added.

Representatives from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brueni, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Australia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, UK, USA, Vietnam etc have already arrived in Guwahati for the festival.

Cambodia’s tourism minister Kousoum Saroeuth, Lao Democratic Peoples’ Republic’s tourism minister Savankhon Razmontry and Singapore’s tourism board director Chee-Pey Chang will attend the mart as special guests.

A post-mart familiarization weeklong tours to various States of the region are also arranged which would start on January 21. The tour program is designed ‘to create awareness about the rich and varied tourism products of the states of the northeastern region and give the delegates first-hand knowledge and experience of the destination’.

Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi has appreciated the move for the tourism mart and hold talks with different agencies to make it a success. He also assured the sports lovers of the State that the venue for the tourism mart, which is a football playground, would not be damaged during the festival, as the same ground is scheduled to host a friendly football match between India and Palestine on February 6.

Sourced: Cambodia News