Tourism Potential Of North-Eastern India  

North-eastern India is blessed with tremendous lifestyle and cultural diversity. Numerous destinations can be explored by prospective tourists while visiting this place. 

Such diversity can possible confuse the tourists in selecting a particular destination. Hence, to counter this problem, tourism industry should introduce packages and specific itineraries for targeting particular clients. For instance, Shillong is none less than Dalhousie or Mcleodganj in terms of architecture, charm, music, cafes as well as romantic appeal.  

Adventure tourism can be developed in a major way in north-east. River rafting, trekking and angling are already practiced in states like Arunachal Pradesh and Assam. Pilgrimage tours can be conducted to the numerous Hindu temples and Buddhist monasteries present in this region. Spiritual tourism has the potential of drawing tourists from all over the globe. The Kamakhya temple and Tawang monastery belonging to this region are several centuries old. 

The region's colorful festivals like Assam's tea festival and Bihu festival, Mizoram's Chapchar Kut, Manipur's Lai-Haraoba, etc. can be promoted with the help of their costumes, dance and songs for attracting tourists. Product or fashion designers can also benefit immensely from the craft centres of Mizoram. Its shawls, sarongs and designs of bamboo and cane are highly exquisite. 

Tourism has the potential of generating employment which will benefit numerous service providers like the ones concerned with lodgings, guides, local transportation, shopping, photography, entertainment, handicraft, foods, beverages, etc. Tourism also enables regional development in a decentralized manner which is essential for successfully meeting the aspirations and needs of numerous tribes found in the north-east. Tourism helps in preventing urban-centric development too.  

North-east's development ministry (MoDONER) is actively taking steps for promoting the tourism sector and improving its associated facilities like wayside amenities, accommodation, beautification as well as refurbishment of monuments, etc. The construction of Asian highway is being planned from Malaysia to India through Thailand as well as Bangladesh. This will pass through North-Eastern India making it the gateway for all the traffic towards India from the eastern part of Asia. Steps should also be taken to acknowledge the region's diversity of cultures and peoples so that its categorization or clubbing under a single term, north-east, gets discarded.  

Few things which are unique to various parts of this region are: 

• Arunachal's mountain peaks, verdant valleys and swift rivers. The Kameng, Siang, Tirap, Subansiri and Lohit river valleys divide Arunachal. Numerous wildlife species can be found here which includes 500 bird species. Tawang monastery and Parasuramkund are important pilgrimage places. Itanagar and Malinithan are important archeological excavation sites. 
              
• Nagaland is considered as east's Switzerland. Tall mountain peaks like the like the 12,600 ft. high Saramati, diverse tribes having individual cultural identities and their traditions are the state's important selling points. Capital city of Kohima has zoos, state museums, cemetery of the 2 nd world war era, breathtaking excursions to villages, valleys, etc. making it a popular tourist destination. 
             
• Assam's dances, Bihu songs, Kaziranga national park, silks and tea are famous throughout the world. Kamakhya temple attracts numerous devotees and tourists every year to this state.
            
• Manipur's hill ranges, Lotak Lake, Siroi hills, handicraft products, folk dances and other destinations like Saheed Minar, Kangla Park, etc. are its major selling points.
              
• Meghalaya's exotic fauna and flora, waterfalls, whispering pines, bamboo and cane crafts and colorful people make it a preferred tourist destination. Trekking is also quite prominent here.
                
• Sikkim's monasteries, landscapes, blue lakes, green pastures, holy caves and red pandas have lead to the flourishment of the tourism industry here.
                
• Similar wildlife sanctuaries, caves, green valleys, dance forms and scenic beauty are a part of Tripura and Mizoram.