New Delhi, Jan. 21: The Centre and the industry today joined hands to promote tourism in the Northeast. ?Tourism in the Northeast is languishing behind in comparison to other states. This sector is a real selling point for the Northeast,? said Jayanta Sanyal, adviser to the planning commission.
Addressing delegates at the second Northeast business summit here today, he said: ?The Northeast needs to be given a brand identity. Infrastructure problems and security measures must be handled with immediate effect.?
Speaking on the occasion, Amitabh Kant, joint secretary in the ministry of tourism, said: ?If employment is a daunting challenge to the Northeast, then the solution lies in tourism.?
Stressing that tourism can essentially flourish with private sector involvement, Kant said: ?It is important to realise that government can only be a facilitator, there has to be an entrepreneurial lead.?
However, for participants both from industry and the government, improvement in infrastructure and problems of connectivity to far-flung areas seemed to be the key issues of concern.
Speaking on similar lines, Prem Subramanium, head of tourism at the Infrastructure Development Finance Company (IDFC), said: ?Images of floods, lack of marketing and promotional exercises and the deteriorating security system prevent prospective tourists from looking forward to visit the northeastern region.?