Anjali Pokhriyal
What are the government’s key initiatives to promote tourism in Arunachal Pradesh?
The newly introduced Arunachal Pradesh Tourism Policy 2025–30 is the first in India to provide dedicated strategies for diverse experiential segments—ranging from farm, tea, and wine tourism to tribal, wellness, adventure, and border tourism. “Our approach is both strategic and inclusive,” says Shri Sona. “We’ve created segment-specific objectives and offerings to ensure holistic development.”
The policy emphasises formalization and support for grassroots stakeholders, including registration and guidelines for homestays and farm stays. The government is also investing in cultural infrastructure such as guest houses and tribal museums at Rang, Mwya, and Basar.
Other focus areas include developing ecotourism in unclassed forests, integrating border tourism with livelihood initiatives in vibrant villages, conducting baseline surveys to prioritize infrastructure, and collaborating with academia for tourism-specific training. “We are also leveraging the PM Internship Scheme to offer practical, on-the-job training for local youth,” adds the Minister.
How is the state balancing tourism development with environmental conservation?
The government has introduced a Green Infrastructure Mandate, which requires tourism units to adopt eco-certified operations, renewable energy sources, sustainable waste management, and STCI (Sustainable Tourism Criteria for India) accreditation.
“All farm tourism units must be plastic-free,” Shri Sona emphasises, adding, “We are actively promoting low-impact, high-value tourism, guided by carrying capacity assessments to avoid over-tourism.”
Ecotourism is community-driven, focusing on conservation in community-conserved areas, forest reserves, and wildlife sanctuaries, while providing sustainable livelihoods. The state is also drafting Responsible Tourism Guidelines to institutionalise ethical, inclusive, and conservation-oriented tourism practices.
What steps are being taken to improve infrastructure like roads, airports, and accommodations for tourists?
To enhance the tourist experience, Arunachal is investing in comprehensive infrastructure upgrades. Standard operating procedures and mandatory registration for adventure tourism guides are being implemented to ensure safety.
Smart signage featuring multilingual QR codes will allow tourists to access site information in their preferred language via audio-visual formats. “We are also involving community representatives and local tour operators in the planning of road infrastructure across our 14 tourism circuits,” says Shri Sona.
Air connectivity is being expanded, with efforts to link Arunachal to Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Mumbai, while improving access to Tezu and Pasighat. The government is leveraging the UDAN-RCS scheme and helicopter services and plans to introduce a caravan rental model to support flexible and immersive travel.
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