Tourists' flow into Assam on the rise

GUWAHATI, February 16: State Tourism Commissioner, Surajit Mitra today informed that there had been a steady rise in flow of domestic and foreign tourists to the State during the last three years. He informed that inflow of domestic tourists had registered a growth of 37 per cent during the same period indicating that the people were no longer bogged down by apprehension about disturbed situation in the State. He further informed that local investors had become more confident about market potential of tourism sector in the State saying that the department was receiving 'tremendous' offers from private investors within the State. Informing that as many as 16 property had been handed over to private operators in the State during the last eight years, the Commissioner said the State government was more interested in setting up basic infrastructure for tourism sector and hand those over to private investors for running. The government also had a plan to provide subsidy to middle-class and lower middle-class tourists visiting the State to shield them from exploitation by private operators.