CHANGLANG, Oct 10: Fifty-five participants from nine villages took part in a two-day workshop on ‘Community-based tourism and awareness on homestay hospitality’, organised here by the HRD branch of the tourism department, with support from the tour operators of eastern Arunachal.
The workshop, which concluded on Thursday, was aimed at motivating the participants to “impart knowledge on hosting tourists and imbibing community-based tourism, involving the village communities,” a release from the department stated.
Tourism department advisor Supratim Raj Basu imparted training on homestays and housekeeping, and spoke about the government’s policies on homestay operation. He urged the participants to “instill belongingness to our own culture and zealously conserve our heritage.”
The first day of the workshop, which was organised under the Paryatan Parv, involved creating awareness on community-based tourism and homestay, and the participants proposed reviving the Namdapha Eco & cultural Tourism Festival.
The second day of the event was a major part of the Paryatan Parv. It was held at New Yumchum village, and featured a demonstration on preparing bamboo tea (chunga chai) by six experts from the village, and presentation of ‘harvest dance’ by 23 women.
The event was also attended by tourists.
A plantation drive was also carried out around the village’s community hall, and several villagers expressed interest in starting homestay facilities for tourists.
