Tuesday 23 August 2016

Assam goes on celebrity hunt to promote tourism


GUWAHATI: The BJP led government in Assam has begun the haunt for engaging brand ambassador for promoting state tourism. The government is in talks with batting maestro, Sachin Tendulkar, Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor, actress Deepika Padukhone and Priyanka Chopra to promote to the new brand entity, "Awesome Assam". Assam tourism minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma said, "We are talking to Sachin, Ranbir,
Deepika and Priyanka. However nothing is finalised yet. It has a long way to go. Sachin has informed that he already has several prior commitments."

Sarma said, "This venture will necessitate huge fund and will take some time before we zero in on one of these personalities. Assam has to be promoted aggressively in national and international level to promote tourism."

Prime minister, Narendra Modi is bullish about the tourism potential of Northeast India. Modi in his visits to Assam has eulogized the natural beauty of Assam.

Assam has recorded a gradual increase in the footfall of both domestic and foreign tourists in the past couple of years.

Compared to 9,61,954 domestic and 6,490 foreign tourists in 2000-01, the number of domestic tourists in 2013-14 was 44,44,393, in 2014-15 it was 48,63,826 and in 2015-16 a total of 56,42,950 domestic tourists visited Assam.

The number of foreign tourists in 2013-14 was 19,086, which went up to 20,005 and 26,320 in the subsequent two years respectively. A total of 56, 69,270 tourists visited the State last year and the revenue collection was Rs 90,81,576 in the last fiscal.

State government is finalising a new tourism policy, web portal with booking facility, information kiosks, training youths as tourist guides besides tea museum at Dibrugarh will come up as tourism promotion measure. 

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