Guwahati, Sept. 27: Assam today pledged to take tourism to the next level through a slew of aggressive measures.
These include appointment of two brand ambassadors within a month, announcement of a scheme to create 500 homestays in the next two months and generating alternative livelihood through a mission in the next five years.
"We will appoint two brand ambassadors within a month and thereafter go all-out to promote our resources across the world. We also need to promote tourism as a sector that generates alternative livelihood, along with agriculture and industry. This will be taken up on a mission mode in the next five years," Assam tourism minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said while addressing a function organised by the department on World Tourism Day there his evening.
The theme for this year's tourism day was Tourism for All - Promoting Universal Accessibility.
The minister also underlined the need to think big and effective as development can happen in Assam much like in Gujarat or Maharashtra with some foresight and innovation.
"We have the resources from Manas to Kaziranga to Chandubi and all we need is to showcase them among tourists and highlight them right. We also need to involve our stakeholders with their suggestions to take tourism ahead. Here, being the finance minister, I have no problem in increasing allocation to the sector multiple times if it generates employment and contributes to economic development," Sarma said.
The minister also touched upon the concept of homestays that the state plans to introduce to cater to both foreign and domestic tourists. "The hosts would be trained in this regard and the destinations will be uploaded in detail on the Assam Toursim website," he said.
The minister also referred to the tea museum, which is coming up in Dibrugarh, which will help foreign tourists get acquainted with life in the tea sector.
A daylong programme at ITA complex in Machkhowa comprising, among others, a photography exhibition, art, essay and caption writing contests, and quiz was held.
The day was also celebrated through an early morning programme in Guwahati under the aegis of Assam Tourism Development Corporation.
"Nearly 1,000 participants took part in the Run for Rhino rally flagged off from Nehru Stadium to Bhangagarh and back," an ATDC official said.
The highlight of the two-hour rally was the tableau carrying replicas of a rhino and her calf aimed at raising awareness about protection and conservation of the state animal that falls prey to poachers.
Vintage cars and bikes were part of the rally.
