Aiyar plans to hardsell N-E to babus during lunch break

Having floated the idea to persuade Government officials to use their Leave...

Having floated the idea to persuade Government officials to use their Leave Travel Concession (LTC) facility to visit the Northeast, the Ministry for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) now plans to target hundreds of babus swarming at the lawns around Rajpath and India Gate during lunch hours to spread the word.

The ministry, in collaboration with tour operators and tourism departments of North Eastern states, is considering the idea to hold exhibitions in these lawns highlighting the region’s tourism potential.

Doner Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar, while speaking at national conclave to promote Northeast as a destination for LTC travellers, said the exhibition could be put up sometime in the first fortnight of February.

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Allaying “misplaced perceptions” about the entire region being unsafe and ridden with insurgency, Aiyar said a vast swathe of the region is not merely free from any extremist related activities but is among the most peaceful places in the country.

The conclave saw presentations made by the North-East States alongwith the Tourism ministry, IL&FS and WWF-India. Indian Railways Catering and Toursim Corporation (IRCTC) and Air India also explained the various packages and schemes run by them in the region.

Expressing disappointment over the fact that some of the N-E states did not come up with packages designed to attract travellers, Aiyar urged stakeholders to devise some attractive packages in three weeks time.