78 L tourists, 26,000 foreigners visited Assam in 2023-24: ATDC

Guwahati, Jan 8: Due to aggressive marketing and the improvement of the overall law and order situation, the flow of tourists to Assam has improved considerably. The state government is planning to organise roadshows abroad to attract foreign tourists.

Talking to The Assam Tribune, Managing Director of the Assam Tourism Development Corporation. (ATDC), Padmapani Bora, said that tourist footfall to the state is increasing considerably, and in the last financial year, around 78 lakh tourists, including around 26,000 foreigners, visited Assam. Going by the trend this year, it is expected that the tourist footfall will increase in the current financial year, he added.

Giving reasons for the increase in tourist flow, Bora said that in the last three years, the state government organised road shows in various parts of the country and took part in almost 30 fairs. Moreover, tourism prospects in Assam were promoted abroad through the Indian embassies. Tourism is a part of Advantage Assam II, and roadshows will be organised in Dubai and London shortly.

Bora revealed that improvement in the overall law and order situation is also one of the reasons for the increase in tourist footfall in Assam. Most of the domestic tourists to Assam come from the states of West Bengal, Maharashtra, and Gujarat, while tourists from South India have also started coming to Assam. He admitted that Kaziranga National Park is still the main attraction for tourists, while Kamakhya Temple is another major attraction. A huge number of people come to Kamakhya temple during the Ambubashi mela.

The ATDC MD said that new hotels of different categories are coming up in Assam, and the occupancy rate of most of the hotels is very high. People are also coming to Assam to hold destination weddings, he added.

Replying to a question, Bora admitted that tourism in Assam is mostly seasonal and wildlife-centric.

People, of course, come to Kamakhya Temple throughout the year, and efforts are to make Assam an all-season tourist destination. He said that tea tourism has started in one garden and a few others are in the pipeline. Efforts are on to develop tourism facilities and homestays in the hill districts, while efforts are on to promote Charaideo Maidams as a tourist destination. The government is developing a tourist spot with light and sound shows near Rang Ghar, he said.

By-

R Dutta Choudhury