Tourism has been perhaps one of the most talked about issues in Arunachal and majority of policy makers always agree in principle that the sector has all the potential to bring huge revenue to this extraordinarily beautiful state. Any initiative to promote the state’s tourism capacities is always welcomed not only by the state’s people but also by that solid strata of potential tourists, within and outside the country who are restless and ready with their backpacks to arrive here. And latest in the list of initiatives is ‘Friends of Arunachal’, a campaign launched state’s Department of Tourism, with aim of integrating the state with the rest of the country through the channel of tourism. The effort demands some extra kudos since it has incorporated inputs from a cross section of people of the region coming from various professions and walks of life, thus adding an extra edge to the campaign.

Travel & Tourism is always considered  as one of the world’s largest economic sectors, creating jobs and generating  prosperity. The most advantageous aspect of this sector is its ability to include and contribute thriving of a wide range of industries, ranging from accommodation and transportation to food & beverage, retail & culture and sports & recreation, all striving to create products and services that will pull people en masse to their choicest destinations. It’s no wonder that the sector accounted for more than 10 % of the global GDP and nearly 320 million jobs, or 10% of total global employment in 2018. And for India it has got huge financial implication on the economy and is always considered a steady foreign exchange earner. But from a bird’s-eye view it can be said that there are some states which have outsmarted others both in terms of domestic as well as foreign tourists footfall during the immediate past years. 2017’s figures show that it’s Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh clinching the first three spots in terms of foreign tourists arrival. Also in case of domestic tourists footfall, it’s Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, the first three for 2017. This has been the by and large trend over the last few years and Arunachal hasn’t featured yet in these lists. There would be no prizes for guessing the reasons. Lack of smooth connectivity with the rest of the nation and improper intra-state infrastructure particularly the roads have outweighed the deeply visible potential which emanates from the state’s endless natural beauty and hospitable nature of its people.

And by the time the airport comes up, it’s time to square up the infrastructures fast with doggedness, since in tourism lies the key to Arunachal’s prosperity.