DIBRUGARH, Jun 3: The Arunachal Pradesh tourism department in collaboration with the Arunachal Pradesh Tour Operators’ Association (APTOA), Nature’s Beacon, the Assam Archana Sikitchalaya Sahitya Chara and the Association for Conservation launched a campaign themed ‘Friends of Arunachal’ here in Assam on Sunday.
The campaign, which involves various tourism stakeholders from Assam, leaders of national and international civil society organizations, senior professors and doctors of
universities and colleges, and officers of Arunachal’s tourism department, has been launched with the aim of strengthening the bond between all the states of the Northeast and the rest of India.
“The campaign will give a platform to exchange cultures, share knowledge and ideas and emphasize on health and education sectors, besides giving a boost to the newly-formed rural tourism destinations and homestay movement in Arunachal,” said Tourism Assistant Director Bengia Manna Sonam.
Highlighting the scope for promoting rural and ecotourism in Arunachal, Sonam urged the participants to help make the state “the best sustainable tourism destination.”
APTOA president John Panye stressed the need for Arunachal and Assam to work closely to better develop the tourism sector in the region.
Dibrugarh-based writer and environmentalist, Soumyadeep Datta, spoke about the close relations between Assam and Arunachal.
“Tourism in Arunachal is incomplete without participation from Assam. We, the civil society, have to gear up and strengthen the bond between the two states,” he said.
APTOA general secretary Bengia Mrinal and head of Help Tourism, Raj Basu, also spoke.
