Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the 13th International Tourism Mart for the North East Region in Gangtok, Pema Khandu proposed the use of STOL aircraft under a hub-and-spoke model to enhance connectivity within the northeastern region.
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu has called for stronger regional convergence in tourism marketing and promotion among northeastern states to unlock the region’s full tourism potential. Addressing delegates at the 13th International Tourism Mart (ITM) for the North East Region in Gangtok, Sikkim, Khandu proposed identifying common tourism circuits and jointly promoting them through state tourism boards to build a unified regional strategy.
The North East, he said, is not just a geographical region but a “mosaic of different cultures, landscapes and identities.” Tourism, according to him, is one of the strong “binding forces” that brings these diverse elements together. Emphasising the need for cohesive regional marketing, he noted that ITM has played a key role in presenting the region as a single entity. He expressed hope that the deliberations at this year’s ITM would generate new ideas and a fresh vision to take tourism in the region to the next level.
Khandu also highlighted the positive image makeover the region has witnessed under Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the last decade. The perception of the North East as a backward and insurgency-prone area, he said, has transformed into that of a dynamic region with significantly improved infrastructure and connectivity. Increased attention from central ministers and senior officials has ensured time-bound implementation of various development schemes, he added.
On the tourism front, he spoke of the benefits the region has derived from the Government of India’s Swadesh Darshan and PRASHAD schemes, which focus on thematic tourism circuit development and pilgrim centre development, respectively.
Turning to regional connectivity, Khandu said the UDAN scheme has substantially enhanced air links within the North East. He shared that northeastern states had recently presented their key demands to the Ministry of Civil Aviation at a high-level meeting chaired by the Union Civil Aviation Minister, and expressed hope for satisfactory resolution of major connectivity-related issues in the coming months.
Acknowledging the region’s unique topographical challenges for aviation, Khandu suggested deploying more STOL aircraft and adopting a hub-and-spoke aviation ecosystem to address existing gaps.
He further noted that the Border Tourism Programme and the Vibrant Village Programme of the central government have significantly benefited northeastern states in recent years. Khandu also commended the proactive policies adopted by various states to promote sustainable and inclusive tourism, ensuring that tourism-driven benefits reach local communities. He cited the successful homestay policy of Sikkim, which Arunachal Pradesh has adopted and implemented.
Speaking specifically about Arunachal Pradesh, the Chief Minister said the state has developed a Sustainable Mountain Tourism Policy that promotes adventure tourism activities such as river rafting, mountain biking and paragliding. The effort, he said, has been to make tourism youth-led and women-led, with homestays serving as a key pillar of the tourism ecosystem.
While road infrastructure in Arunachal Pradesh has improved significantly in recent years, Khandu said the state has embarked on a mega Frontier Highway project spanning approximately 2,600 km from east to west, targeted for completion over the next five years.
Sikkim’s Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Tshering Thendup Bhutia; Assam Tourism Minister Ranjeet Kumar Dass; Arunachal Pradesh Tourism Minister Pasang Dorjee Sona; V. Vidyavathi, Secretary–Tourism, Government of India; Suman Billa, Additional Secretary and DG–Tourism, Government of India; and C.S. Rao, Additional Chief Secretary, Sikkim were among the dignitaries present at the inaugural ceremony.
Held at the aegis of the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, the 13th edition of the ITM 2025 will see 39 international buyers from 19 countries and 90 domestic tour operators drawn from 22 states of the country participating in the B2B deliberations with tourism stakeholders from 8 states of the northeastern states.
