GUWAHATI: The state's tourism industry has made big strides over the last year, said tourism minister
Himanta Biswa Sarma while releasing the annual achievement report 2017-18 of the
Assam Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC) here on Tuesday. With earnings estimated at Rs 4.22 crore in 2017-18, the revenue of the state's tourism development agency has almost doubled when compared to the earnings in 2016-17 when it amassed a revenue of 2.24 crore.
After the state government decided to augment the state's tourism budget, Sarma said this year the earmarked tourism budget has gone up to around Rs 89 crore. "The inflow of domestic and foreign tourists has gone up noticeably and the occupancy of hotels, even in the off-season, has increased by about 20%. It is evident that the flow of tourists to Assam has increased by 20% in the last year," said Sarma.
He informed that the state government is trying hard to get another externally-aided World Bank project under which the state may get a major boost of Rs 730 crore for tourism development in the state.
The tourism minister said the overall development of tourism infrastructure around the tourist hotspots of the state will be the thrust area of the project, if it gets cleared. The minister, however, said in the coming years the ATDC's role will be that of a facilitator in the growth of the tourism sector only by roping in competent players from the private sector.
Sarma stated that the long-pending ropeway project connecting the southern and northern banks of Guwahati over the Brahmaputra river will see the light of the day soon. "The Guwahati-North Guwahati ropeway project that came to a halt following objections raised by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) few years ago is now on track. In December this year we are planning trial run of the project and it is expected to be inaugurated in February next year," said Sarma.
