Sangai Festival as launch pad for tourism development
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: November 18, 2022 -

Even if positive cases in single digit continue to crop up periodically for the last few months, there has been significant improvement in the Covid-19 pandemic situation, thereby setting the stage clear for smooth return of the calendar Manipur Sangai Tourism Festival this year.

The sharp decline in the number of insurgency-related incidents as well as agitations, which often led to blockading of highways and crippling normal life are some other reasons that should inspire the government to make preparation in order to promote such festivals before the international community and enhance state's profile as a cultural hub.

Compared to the past editions when festival related events held beyond the twin capital districts used to be limited to trekking trips to a handful of hill districts, this time around 13 locations are being prepared for conduct of different government-funded recreational and cultural programmes, all aimed at facilitating domestic tourists as well as foreign travellers to explore the state's tourism destinations.

Though Moirang Khunou in Bishnupur district, where the Sangai Ethnic Park is being developed to make it a permanent venue for the festival as well as other programmes in the future, would see launch of the 10-day festival on November 21, the present government's objective to enlist four-five hill districts for the tourism promotional events indicates that development of the tourism sector is being accorded serious priority.

In view of the state's limited material resources considered vital for establishment of major industries, tourism sector remains one of the options left for the government to replenish its exchequer.

As such, it is obvious that initiation of various infrastructure development works for the festival is not only to draw the attention of potential visitors and promote the venues as recreational purposes but also to tap the unexplored tourism potentials and convert them into revenue generational facilities, no matter even if the financial footfall in the initial stages is negligible.

In case the government authorities could properly maintain the newly developed tourist sites in different districts and ensure convenient means of transportation then there should be no worry about these facilities gathering dust after the Sangai festival.

The recent statement made by chief minister N Biren that the state government is in the process of establishing Tourist Police, which will be attached to the superintendents of police of every district, and utilising the personnel as tourist guides also corroborates determination of the establishment to leave no stone unturned in presenting the state as tourist friendly.

No doubt, vigorous comprehensive publicity is imperative for promotion of tourism but it would be wishing thinking that tourists would rush in to the state if basic infrastructures could not be developed.

It must betaken into account that as Covid-19 has had serious impact on tourism industries across the world, there might be some travellers who would be keen to foray into hitherto unknown destinations such as the northeast region, including Manipur.

Thus, it is wished that after a gap of two years, resumption of the Manipur Sangai Festival will help the landlocked Manipur to lay the foundation for transforming itself into a popular tourist destination.