Gori village near Basar in the Leparada district was identified as a model for rural and community-centric tourism during the National Tourism Day (NTD) celebration on Tuesday.
According to the Tourism Department, ‘restarting tourism’ needs more attention in policy, promotion and implementation after two years of the Covid-19 situation.
The department has been emphasising rural tourism and homestays for the past six years. The initiative was taken a notch higher with Gori identified as the state’s first model village for rural and community-centric tourism.
At the event, it was decided to develop five more such villages in the next five years.
“Through our training workshops in the districts, especially in remote rural areas, we have reached more than 25 rural destinations, which have been put on the tourism map of the state. This initiative in the villages has helped empower the local communities, especially women of the host society. They have now become protectors of their culture and their local biodiversity,” an official said.
The day’s programme included an audio-visual show of a national webinar at SFCI with the participation of officers and tour operator members of APTOA. A meeting to underline the importance of the day was also held at the tourism directorate office.
The day concluded with the decision to organise a two-day training for guides in Itanagar on January 27 and 28 and Homestay Congress at Ziro from January 31 to February 2.
At Tawang the day was observed at Zomkhang Hall with Tawang MLA Tsering Tashi and Deputy Commissioner KN Damo as the chief guest and the guest of honour respectively. Tawang Brigade’s Deputy Commander, Colonel Awinash Kumar, Everesters Anshu Jamsenpa and Nima Lama, and Dorjee Khandu Government College Principal, Yeshi Gyetsen were special guests.
The programme was organised by Himalayan Holidays in collaboration with the Tourism Department and the Tawang district administration under the aegis of the Union Ministry of Tourism.
MLA Tashi said the day is being celebrated to create awareness about the tourism potential of tourist destinations of the country. He said tourism is not limited to the taxi and hotel business only but is a major industry that can help in the economic development of society by providing job opportunities to many.
Addressing the taxi operators, hoteliers and other stakeholders, he said cleanliness, good behaviour and honesty play an important role in growing tourism in any particular area besides good infrastructure and road communication, etc.
Damo stressed cleanliness and trained human resources for the development of the tourism industry. He also said clean mountains, clean Tawang and plastic-free Tawang will be given priority and appealed to the taxi operators, hoteliers and other stakeholders to cooperate in the mission.
Col Kumar, Jamsenpa and Gyetsen also Spoke on the occasion. The CEO of Himalayan Holidays, Tsering Wange conveyed his gratitude to all for making the day successful.
In the afternoon, the DC attended a local cuisine competition among the homestay owners of Shyo village at Mandrelling village organised by the Tourism Department. A cultural presentation was followed by the competition. DTO Tawang, Tsering Deki accorded a reception to all.
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