Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein has said that tourism in the state should grow with strong involvement of local communities, stressing that such an approach is important for long-term and balanced development. Speaking at the North-East India Tourism Confederation (NEITC) conference held in Namsai district, Mein said the tourism sector in Arunachal Pradesh is seeing new opportunities due to better roads, connectivity and infrastructure in recent years. He described the conference as an important moment for Namsai, as it hosted a tourism-related event of this scale for the first time. He said such platforms help bring together stakeholders and open up new ideas for growth.
“Tourism in Arunachal Pradesh must be community-driven, with active involvement of tour operators, homestay owners, self-help groups and local entrepreneurs,” Mein said. He added that when local people feel a sense of ownership, the sector grows in a more stable and meaningful way.The Deputy Chief Minister also underlined the need for responsible tourism practices. He said the focus should be on keeping tourism clean, environmentally friendly and inclusive, while ensuring proper regulation. Referring to the growing number of homestays in the state, Mein said maintaining quality and authenticity is important. “Homestay guidelines must be followed so that standards are not compromised and unplanned growth can be avoided,” he said.
He further noted that improved infrastructure has helped Arunachal Pradesh connect better with major tourism circuits, making it easier for visitors to explore the state.The inaugural session of the conference was attended by several key officials and stakeholders, including Rajendra Kumar Suman, Northeast Regional Director of the Union Ministry of Tourism, NEITC president EB Blah, convention chairman Tsering Wange, and Namsai Deputy Commissioner C R Khampa. Tour operators from different parts of the Northeast were also present at the event.
