New initiative opens India’s northeast frontier to Australians
India is a popular destination for Australian travellers but one large region of the subcontinent has been neglected – India’s eight north-eastern states: Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim.
Each state offers a diverse range of tourist attractions, from natural wonders and wildlife to culture and history.
To help focus tourist attention on this region of India, the Australia India Travel & Tourism Council (AITTC) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Friday with the Northeast India Tour Operators Association (NEITO).
NEITO comprises inbound tour operators, all approved by India’s Ministry of Tourism, that specialise in destinations in India’s northeast.
The MOU was signed by Madhushmita Khound , secretary of NEITO in Guwahati, and Sandip Hor, chairman AITTC in Sydney. Present at the signing in Sydney were B Vanlalvawna, Consul General of India in Sydney; Chandru Appar, Deputy Consul General of India in Sydney; Barbara Ward, president NSW Australia India Business Council; Phillip Bonicace, co-chairman AITTC and Vishnu Daram, secretary AITTC.
“This is a major step to put North East India under the tourism radar in Australia”, chairman Hor said after the signing.
Hor said attractions of the region like Assam’s Brahmaputra River Cruise and the Kaziranga National Park – famous for one-horned rhinos – Tripura’s Royal Palaces, Sikkim’s Himalayan beauty, Nagaland’s Hornbill Festival and many more have tremendous potential to add a new dimension to international tourism growth in India.
AITTC chairman, Sandip Hor, signs the MOU in Sydney on Friday
The MOU aims jointly to enhance destination knowledge among Australians and to facilitate the establishment of a suitable “travel and tourism connect” between Australia and North East India.
While the India Tourism office in Singapore now looks after the Australian market, tourism-related services are also provided by the Indian Consulate in Sydney, located at 265 Castlereagh Street.
Edited by Peter Needham
